Domestic Violence Decriminalised in Russia - thoughts?

[MiddleGround]

Is anyone else as outraged as myself about the light of women in Russia? news.sky.com/story/how-battered-wives-are-erasing-the-past-as-russia-softens-domestic-abuse-law-10759776

[Seachangeshell]

Yes it's disgusting. What a terrible country to live in.

[DameVanillaSugar]

We're backpeddalling to the Dark Ages.

[VestalVirgin]

One gets the feeling that the end of the world is near, with all those things happening in the world.

A terrible country to live in, indeed, but if most men were not happy to beat their wives and girlfriends, there'd be more resistance against that.
And some women apparently have internalized misogyny ot the point that they actively support this.

That is what scares me most. Russia attacking us is a thing that can happen. Here in Germany, there's not even the advantage of being on an island.
(And can you imagine what'd happen if Putin decides to team up with Trump?)

[YouHadMeAtCake]

I just read the article. They are supposed to be 'proud of their bruises'. This is terrible. Not seeing any marches about it. Fucking awful.

[MiddleGround]

Excellent point *YouHadMeAtCake" - where are the protesters and why are they not speaking out about this?

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Personally I doubt whether marches and protests in other countries would have much effect in this case - though I did sign some petitions I think, didn't make any difference though. I can't see Putin or the Duma giving a damn, they are not as hung-up with their popularity as Trump and don't seem too bothered what other countries think of them. In fact I could imagine them almost taking pride in being "tougher" than the rest of the world I suppose the only way it might help would be if it gave Russian women more encouragement to protest themselves; if enough of them felt able to protest then that might make more difference perhaps?

I also thought the "taking pride in their bruises" comment sounds like actual incitement to violence, not even just tolerance - "come on guys, give her a good thrashing so you'll have lots of sons! Come on women, enjoy your battering, it'll do you good!". I despair...

[YouHadMeAtCake]

Montoya I meant the women that marched against democracy in the UK/US etc about Trump. Where are they for this situation?

[venusinscorpio]

Whatever you think about the Trump march, I rather think women were marching against a massive attack on women's rights with global reach, rather than "against democracy". Don't be fatuous.

Do you really think US women have no right to protest what is happening in their country? Or do you think they need to suck it up now because a lot of religious zealots and idiots voted in a sex offender and misogynist backed up by a team of people who would like nothing better than to remove all reproductive rights from women?

[venusinscorpio]

Obviously this situation in Russia is an outrage. Russia is not somewhere a protest in another country is likely to have an effect on though.

[Xenophile]

As an aside, isn't it weird how some people are only able to frame women's protest as anti-democracy, when, had they paid any attention, they would know that nothing could have been further from the truth. And that the upshot has been that many women who had never considered how important it was to get involved in democracy, local, state and national, are now signing up to be considered as candidates.

[VestalVirgin]

Trump is anti democracy, protests against him are pro democracy, obviously.
I don't think he is much interested in his international popularity. Germans hate him, he obviously doesn't care, despite that being the country he should have his sorry ass kicked back to, as he's just a third generation immigrant or so. (When is America going to have a real American, i.e. Native American president?)

Same with Putin, yeah. Those dictators just do what they want. Women would have to go on strike or something to make him change his mind. (Okay, he would probably just imprison them in camps, but it'd at least cause him some discomfort)

[Postagestamppat]

Obviously it is absolutely disgusting but what was the reason or rationale for changing the law? Reading about it, the closest I got was that "pressure groups wouldn't be able to target and harass men now." I am paraphrasing and may have got it wrong. It was carried overwhelmingly. I would love to know what bullocks could be used to justify this.

[Postagestamppat]

On actually reading the article linked I see that politicians think that it will create "stronger families". I guess the logic is that sending a man to jail will disrupt the family more than having him at home beating his wife, in front of the kids. A nice way of ensuring that domestic abuse will be a recurring cycle through the generations in Russia.

[VestalVirgin]

The actual reason might be that their prisons are too full and cost too much money.
Just a guess, but that is the only thing I can come up with that would actually benefit someone of those making the law. (Though of course it is possible many important men in the Russian government also like to beat their wives.)

Or perhaps stronger families = weaker women, and the Russian women got too uppity and were opposing the government too much.

[VestalVirgin]

A nice way of ensuring that domestic abuse will be a recurring cycle through the generations in Russia.

Yeah.
Of course, there's a theory that children who were beaten by their parents (and I don't think there are many men who beat their wives but leave the children alone) are more ready to follow a dictator, as they are used to not being allowed to do their own thinking. (More complicated than that, but, roughly).

It might be a long-term plan.

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Well, I suppose it would save money/time for the police, courts etc. I would imagine fewer women would come forward with allegations if they know it would only result in a fine at most (which would not make the victims significantly safer, as the man wouldn't be removed from the home, and would, also, harm the family finances not just the perpetrator); and for those that did come forward, I would imagine the length and cost of the process would be much less for an "administrative" offence and fine, than for a "criminal" offence and possibility of prison etc.

But I can't help feeling that it is also supporting the macho "strong man" ideal which Putin himself seems very keen on. I think when "stronger families" is talked about, what they actually mean is the man being "in control" of his womenfolk and children, being the unquestioned boss and being able to keep them in line by force if necessary. Which does seem to reflect Putin's political approach too; so perhaps by advertising this as the natural order of things at a domestic level, they are also subtly reinforcing it at the national level.

[Prawnofthepatriarchy]

I had a friend who spent a couple of years in Moscow. She's married to a diplomat and lived in a lot of countries. She said the quality of life there was abysmal. The hangover effect of Communism had been to destroy courtesy in daily life. For example, when a bus drew up the largest men would shove their way to the front, sending old ladies and small children flying. Walking on the street she would have to steer well clear of the thugs who strode in the middle of the walkway, deliberately shoving weaklings.

This permeated its way into everything, including family life. Alcoholism is hideously common and DV is just normal life. People think it's OK. In my community a man who beat his wife would be ostracized. In Russia someone would pat him on the back. She said it was the most miserable society she'd ever experienced.

Men beating their wives and children is not considered abnormal in Russia. I feel so sorry for the poor Russians. My friend told me that more and more women were opting out of relationships with men altogether, which sounds like a plan. Japanese women are doing this too, as Japanese men are no bargain either. They are both very sexist societies.