Gender violence

26/11/2016

Domestic Violence Law: ‘Connected Persons’ Concept Added to Russia’s Criminal Code

For the first time, the Russian law has recognised a separate category of ‘connected persons’ and the fact that someone exposed to violence at […]
29/11/2016

Germany’s New Law Punishes Harassment and Groping, Defines Rape

In July, the Bundestag, lower house of the German Parliament, voted for amendments of the country’s criminal law,1The Law Amending the Criminal Code Improves […]
19/01/2017

Domestic Violence Law: Russia Moves to Decriminalize Battery Within Families

In a sudden U-turn, Russian lawmakers are eager to pass the bill abolishing last year’s amendments to the Criminal Code that made simple battery […]
15/08/2018

“Violence is usually revealed only after the woman is murdered”

We interviewed two women lawyers who litigate domestic violence cases and defend other rights of women living in the North Caucasus.
07/02/2019

No Right to Protection: Legal Status of Women from North Caucasus Seeking Asylum in Poland

Women in the North Caucasus face serious risks and often become victims of violence but cannot find legal protection either in or outside Russia.
23/09/2019

ILO Convention on Combating Violence and Harassment at Work: History and Significance

In 2019, after many years of discussion, the ILO adopted the Convention on Combating Violence and Harassment at Work. Why is this document called historical in its meaning and expected legal consequences?
28/08/2020

The Case of the Khachaturyan Sisters: A Turning Point in Russian Domestic Violence Law?

Russia still has no domestic violence legislation. Will the case of the Khachaturian sisters, three girls who have been subjected to abuse by their father for many years, become a turning point in the adoption of such a law?
17/11/2021

“People here don’t understand that you can’t take a woman by force.” Why sex without consent is rape in Europe, but not in Russia

From an ethical, legal and social standpoint, sexual consent is a complex concept. It has no single definition, and taboos around talking about sex can make it difficult to discuss. Nevertheless, every year more and more countries are recognising sex without consent as rape.
16/05/2022

“Threat to life is often underestimated in a situation of violence”. Interview with Anastasia Maskaeva, Crisis Centre for Women

“INGI. Crisis Centre for Women,” an NGO that has been active in St. Petersburg for 30 years offering assistance to women affected by various types of gender-based violence. In her interview with Legal Dialogue, the Centre's psychologist Anastasia Maskaeva speaks about their clients' most common problems and concerns, the importance of providing “one-stop-shop” assistance, and why helping the victim is more essential than punishing the abuser.