Russian Feminist Runs for Parliament to Tackle Domestic Violence

Alyona Popova's campaign rhetoric is blunt: Unless she is elected to parliament, there won't be much hope for a law against domestic violence in Russia.

One of the country's most ardent feminists, Popova has fought for years to lobby members of the State Duma to adopt legislation to protect women — without success.

So she decided to run herself in the September 19 election.

Popova believes she has a good chance to win and will be able to push through a domestic violence law.

Analysts and recent actions by Russian authorities, however, suggest that both face an uphill battle.

Few reliable official statistics are kept on violence against women in Russia, but it is clearly a national problem.

Police routinely turn a blind eye to domestic abuse, and restraining orders don't exist, leaving victims without a key protection.

The Interior Ministry's official magazine, Russia's Police, reported in 2019 that one in three murders occur within "family and domestic relations"; that violent acts of different kinds happen in one out of four families; and that 70% of crimes within families and households are against women and children.

There are virtually no legal mechanisms to protect people from domestic abuse.

Laws address a wide range of violent crimes, but attempts to create measures that would prevent these crimes from happening have faced resistance from authorities.

Popova's decision to run came after her only ally in the Duma -- Oksana Pushkina of the ruling United Russia bloc -- announced she was not seeking reelection.

Simple assault against a family member was a criminal offense only briefly in 2016 under a measure passed by lawmakers, but it prompted a backlash from conservative groups.

At his annual news conference in December 2016, President Vladimir Putin was asked about parents who could face imprisonment for spanking a child, which the questioner said was "quite traditional" Russian discipline.

Putin responded that "it's better not to spank children and not to cite traditions," but agreed that "unceremonious interference with the family is unacceptable," and promised to review the law.

It was decriminalized the next year and downgraded it to a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of about $68.

Women's rights activists protested vehemently, saying abusers were given a green light.

Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the upper house of parliament, acknowledged the problem in 2019 and vowed to have a domestic violence bill by the end of the year.

One was drafted by Popova, Pushkina and other activists.

It faced weeks of stiff resistance from conservative groups and the Russian Orthodox Church, arguing that the state shouldn't interfere in family matters.

As a result, it was watered down and never came up for a vote.

Nasiliu.Net, a prominent nonprofit that supports domestic violence victims and advocated for the law, has been labeled a "foreign agent," and given repeated hefty fines.

Pushkina, who in recent years was a firebrand for domestic violence legislation, decided not to run again after United Russia endorsed someone else in her constituency.

She believes Popova will fight for the law if elected but that authorities will have the final say.

"No matter how hard Alyona fights, if there's a decision higher up to slow something down, block it or adopt, then that will come to pass," Pushkina said.

Popova is running in a Moscow district, and her competitors include a famous TV personality widely seen as pro-government and a seasoned lawmaker from the Communist Party.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Subscribe to our newest channel Quicktake Explained

Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world.

To watch complete coverage on Bloomberg Quicktake 24/7, visit or watch on Apple TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Fire TV and Android TV on the Bloomberg app.

Have a story to tell? Fill out this survey for a chance to have it featured on Bloomberg Quicktake

Connect with us on…

Breaking News on YouTube