Earlier this year a law which decriminalizes domestic abuse in Russia came into effect. The law ensures, unless the victim requires hospital treatment, a first-time offender will not face a prison sentence, having only to pay a fine between $80 and $700. This law not only minimizes the effects of violence within the family for victims, but also overlooks psychological and sexual abuse. Domestic abuse constitutes an act which results in physical, sexual, or psychological harm, and most women in Russia have experienced it. Annually between 12,000 and 14,000 Russian women die due to domestic violence; one woman every 40 minutes (Брынцева). The culture of domestic abuse in Russia continues to flourish because of folklore and the cult of the church …show more content…
The term refers to the patriarchal order of society and family, emphasizing the importance of gender roles and conservatism. In this system, women are mothers and obedient housewives, while men are the breadwinners (Domestic Violence Against Women in the Russian Federation). This strive for traditionalism leads many to weigh family over the individual. Thus, the spouses must endure all hardships of married life together. Domestic abuse is simply one of these hardships. The resurgence of traditional values is a response to the spread of liberal values in countries such as the United States (Hooper) which Kremlin and subsequently the media have painted as their main antagonist. In this story, Russia is honorably preserving the time-honored way of life, while the West seeks to disrupt and destroy it. These views have exacerbated the oppressive treatment of women in Russian society and in the family, allowing for the culture of domestic abuse to …show more content…
The primary religious leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, advocates for traditional values, and maintaining the order of the family is a primary aspect of it. Furthermore, he supports the law decriminalizing domestic abuse, which he and the church think will help preserve traditional families. The church conditions women to think domestic violence is a normal aspect of marriage, they believe it is their duty to endure abuse at the hands of their fathers and husbands. Meanwhile, men have free reign to beat and control women and are never truly held up to any standards of behavior. Women then stay in abusive relationships for the good of the family, accepting it as their God-given burden. Considering 79% of Russians are Orthodox Christians, the reach and impact of these words is extensive