Statement by the Yabloko Bureau, 23.04.2020

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic and self-isolation, the number of cases of domestic violence against women, children and the elderly has significantly increased, whereas women are the first to become victims. This applies to all countries, emphasised UN Secretary General António Guterres.

In Russia, the situation is especially threatening: domestic violence is decriminalised, the law on the prevention of domestic violence has not been adopted; the number of shelters for victims of violence is catastrophically insufficient, some of them are closed due to a pandemic.

The psychological burden on family members who are locked together in same premises is increasing, which often leads to excesses. The risks of bodily harm and even murder surge especially in troubled families, where various types of violence had already been practiced. The police in the situation of the coronavirus are even less ready to intervene in family conflicts than before. Victims of violence find themselves alone facing the aggressor.

The Yabloko party supports the demands of lawyers protecting victims of domestic violence and insists on taking immediate measures to prevent domestic violence.

The authorities must publicly demonstrate support for victims of domestic violence. Police officers must immediately respond to any reports of domestic violence and protect victims, not abusers and prevent any manifestations of domestic violence.

The Yabloko party believes that the federal and regional legislative, executive and local government bodies should, as soon as possible do the following:

– provide a sufficient number of shelters to accommodate victims of domestic violence, regardless of whether they have registration or Russian citizenship. This requires compiling a register of all premises, including free hotel rooms, which can be used as temporary accommodation of victims;

– develop special measures to support victims when they apply for medical, legal and psychological aid, including the possibility of receiving such aide via the Gosuslugi (state services) portal and to widely inform the population about these measures;

– distribute information materials aimed at preventing violence by persons prone to aggression;

– create coordination centres on the basis of NGOs working in the field of protection of victims of violence, which will be able to quickly and effectively respond to domestic violence and assist victims in receiving free medical, legal and psychological aid;

– cancel the liability for victims of violence for their compelled violation of the quarantine and self-isolation regime or other restrictive measures.

Urgent adoption of all these measures can prevent the upsurge of the number of victims of domestic violence in Russia.

Nikolai Rybakov,

Yabloko Chairman