Russia: State protection available to female victims of domestic violence, particularly in Omsk

The Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG) writes in its September 1999 report on human rights in the Russian Federation for 1998 as follows:

Sexual and domestic abuse of females in Russia remains a huge problem which the state and especially law enforcement authorities show little concern to settle ….[I]ndependent research data says that only 5-10% of victims report to the police and only about 3% of such cases reach the court ….. The process of reporting domestic and sexual abuse, instituting criminal cases and their investigation by investigating authorities is filled with mass manifestations of prejudices, indifference to the rights and interests of the victim … [in] direct violation of law by the representatives of power.

The government of Russia and the regional authorities in these issues confine themselves to declarations of [a] general nature and provide for no actual changes in the practice of law enforcement authorities. In the opinion of public organizations, the state practically does not participate even in assisting the crisis centres, confidential phone services and female victims' support groups that emerged recently (Sept. 1999, 95-96).

The report adds that the government has not adequately acted upon the proposals made by non-governmental organizations for "concrete legislative and practical measures to change the situation (MHG Sept. 1999, 95-96).

The English-language version of a that includes the MHG Report also comprises reports submitted by 20 of the country's regions, some of which include comments on this issue. The report from Irkutsk states that violence against women is a common occurrence, but that neither federal nor regional authorities have taken "even initial steps in this field, much less rendering the corresponding public organizations substantial assistance" in the matter (Vol. I, 26). The Lipetsky region report states that family violence occurs occasionally, with alcohol being a prime factor. "The militia and prosecutor's office do not interfere, even in the most obvious cases." The report notes that the authorities are the most passive in cases where the family remains together, as opposed to cases of men abusing their ex-wives (Vol. I, 177). The report from Voronezh Region notes that a centre to provide psychological services had been established with the assistance of the administration of Kominternovski District (Vol. II, 264). In approximately a 16-month period, the centre received 124 women (out of a total caseload of 661), 40 of whom were reporting physical or sexual violence (ibid.).

The director of a Moscow hotline for abused women noted that after Russia's August 1998 financial crisis, the number of callers jumped dramatically, almost reaching the total for 1997 (Russia Journal 8 Mar. 1999). She was of the opinion that domestic violence almost doubled after the crash, blaming the added burdens caused by the financial downturn for the rise in abuse (ibid.). In February 1999, a Duma Committee report found that "15,000 Russian women are murdered by their loved ones" annually (ibid. 29 Mar. 1999).

According to a September 1999 report of the UNICEF-MONEE Project entitled Women in Transition:

A survey on crime in Russia shows that cases of crime reported to police are not always processed. It estimated that 15 percent of reported rapes were concealed by law enforcement authorities who did not file or follow up on complaints. Authorities tended to explain such omissions as the result of insufficient manpower or attempts to give the impression of police effectiveness.

The growth in violence – compounded by the general increase in the workload of law enforcement agencies and, often, a decline in the number, quality and motivation of police staff – raises serious concerns about the capacity of the state to tackle the issue of violence against women. When violence against women that is committed outside the home is not addressed, it can be expected that domestic violence – a complex and largely hidden issue – is even less of a concern for authorities (81).

The survey also notes that while Russian doctors and social workers do receive training in dealing with women victims of violence, police do not (ibid., 90).

The same report also states that in eastern and central Europe, legal processes are sometimes "effectively inaccessible for victims of violence. …[I]n Russia, the victim's lawyer cannot take part in the trial, though the state provides a lawyer for the offender, and domestic violence tends to be prosecuted only in cases of murder, grave physical injury, suicide, or similar circumstances" (89).

As indicated in RUS30983.E of 26 January 1999, there are non-governmental organizations to address the needs of victims of domestic violence. The No to Violence Association (NAN) comprises 32 centers across the country (Moscow Times 5 Feb. 2000). In a Moscow Times interview, its president, Marina Pisklakova, is quoted as referring to a national educational campaign to raise awareness of domestic violence as well as a training program for crisis centres. In 1999, she continues, over 40,000 women sought assistance from these centres. She states that efforts to pass legislation specific to domestic violence had been unsuccessful to date (ibid.). She makes reference to plans for the future:

In addition to continuing our educational campaign, this year we will also be working more closely with professionals who deal with domestic violence, like law enforcement agencies and family doctors. We will develop educational materials together with Interior Ministry officials both for the public and for use by police and medical professionals. We plan to assist the Interior Ministry in developing a national training program on police response to domestic violence (ibid.). 

Although NAN had surmised that there were only 30 or so crisis centres across Russia in mid-1999, a USAID call for proposals from existing crisis centres resulted in 83 applications, leading program organizers to assume they had underestimated the number of existing such organizations (Russia Journal 15 Nov. 1999). The newspaper article mentions that there are such centres in St. Petersburg, Kazan, Murmansk, Pskov and Ekaterinburg. NAN's director notes that "police only begin reacting to the problem if a woman has been involved in three violent incidents" (ibid.).

Efforts to obtain a list of organizations receiving grants under the USAID scheme were unsuccessful, however, the Website of IREX, which is administering the USAID program, provides some details. It has the following examples: An Arkhangelsk Women's Crisis Centre opened a crisis hotline staffed by volunteers in late October 1999; the hotline operated by the Centre for Social and Legal Support "Alexandra," in St. Petersburg, which had operated for one hour per day, currently operates 12 hours per day; the Moscow Crisis Centre began operating a second phone line to increase the capacity of its hotline in late 1999; the Women's Crisis Centre "Fatima" in Kazan in late 1999 was developing a training program for local police, with the first pilot seminar held in October; the Centre "Protalina," in Pechory, the Pskov Region, was in late 1999 in the process of establishing a legal database to provide legal consultations to victims of domestic violence; the Centre "Miloserdie" in Tula, was looking to expand its hotline as well (n.d.).

Information on state protection in Omsk was not available among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). n.d. "Program to Support Women's Crisis Centers in Russia (WCC). [Accessed 10 Apr. 2000]

Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG). September 1999. The Human Rights Situation in the Russian Federation, 1998. Moscow: MHG.

Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG). 1999. Volume of Reports by Regional Human Rights Organizations on the Situation with Human Rights in the Subjects of the Russian Federation in the Year 1998. Moscow: MHG.

Moscow Times. 5 February 2000. Kester Klomegah. "No Excuse for Violence" [Accessed 4 Apr. 2000]

Russia Journal [Moscow]. 15 November 1999. Denise Albrighton. "Grant Boost for Women's Crisis Centres: Figures Show Violence is on the Rise." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2000]

_____. 29 March 1999. "Society: Familes Under Siege." [Accessed 10 Apr. 2000]

_____. 8 March 1999. "Economic Crisis Hurts Women and Families First." [Accessed 11 Apr. 2000]

UNICEF-MONEE Project. September 1999. Women in Transition. [Accessed 10 Apr. 2000]