Moscow (AsiaNews) - The murder of a journalist in Moscow, which took place on January 3 at the hands of her husband, the founder of a famous meeting place for artists in the Russian capital, has reignited the debate over the need to create legal and social instruments to protect women who are victims of domestic violence.
Alexei Kabanov (38 years), admitted that he strangled and dismembered his wife, Irina Kabanova Cherska (39 years), and hid her remains in a car. The man - who ran the famous local ProjetOgi, closed down last year - is now in danger of up to 20 years in prison and the loss of parental authority over the three children, all aged between two and seven years.
The Kabanova case is the most shocking in recent times, but there are millions women who suffer domestic violence in silence. A crimetotally non-existent, however, in the Russian Criminal Code, as noted by Mary Mokhova, head of the center for victims of sexual abuse 'Siostri' (sisters), during a conference organized by the Ria Novosti Agency. "The government is not interested in this topic - she denounces - and there are no statistics about it." In the absence of official data, surveys reveal that half of the women in Russia have been subjected to violence by a man, explained Mokhova, appealing to the authorities to introduce specific legislation to address the problem.
According to complaints lodged by 'Anna' - an NGO that fights against sexual violence - every year 100 thousand women are killed by their partners or relatives. Olga Kostina - at the head of the NGO 'Soprotivleniye' (Resistance) - agreed that there is an "urgent need" for a legal framework and in particular of a dense network of service centers throughout the country. "There are almost no places where a woman fleeing domestic violence can find shelter," said the Kostina. According to 2009 data in Russia, with a population of 143 million people, the crisis centers are 20 and offer only short term hospitality. "Also - said Kostina - if a woman is not from Moscow she is not allowed to stay in the Moscow center.
According to Mikhail Vinogradov, director of a counseling center, many women "do not pay attention to the aggressive behavior of their men," from which more serious abuse can arise. The problem is also cultural and lies in the conception of gender relations in society. Suffice it to say that a popular Russian proverb says: "If he hits you, it means he loves you."
