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.