You're reading: Guardian: Decriminalisation of domestic violence in Russia leads to fall in reported cases

Guardian: Decriminalisation of domestic violence in Russia leads to fall in reported cases

Published Aug. 16, 2018 at 11:24 am

Activist holds placard reading "There is no future without equality" during the march of feminists in Kiev, during the International Women's Day on March 8, 2018.Participants of the march urged the authorities of Ukraine to ratify the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe on the prevention of violence against women and domestic violence.

Photo by AFP

Russian women suffering domestic violence are being deterred from going to the police since its partial decriminalisation last year, campaigners have claimed after a dramatic fall in reported incidents.

The state statistics, released in July, reveal that the number of cases of domestic violence reported to the police in 2017 almost halved since physical abuse became punishable by a fine rather than time in prison.