3.8.1. Domestic violence

Table of contents

3.8.1. Domestic violence

The UN Special Rapporteur, Mariana Katzarova, noted an increase in violence against women in Russia.621 There is no specific domestic violence legislation.622 Women can access justice and there are some improvements in the area of protection, due to the decisions by the Russian Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court, which have provided lawyers and women rights organisations with legal instruments that can make litigation more successful.623 For instance, in January 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled that courts may prohibit persons convicted of domestic violence to approach places regularly attended by their victims, such as their place of residence, work, studies, etc.624 In March 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled that district and magistrate courts must accept domestic violence complaints even if the police decline to open a criminal case.625

As noted by NGO Nasiliu.net, Russia lacks accessible and comprehensive statistics on domestic violence and removal of criminal penalties for battery in 2017 has distorted the situation, creating the false impression of a sharp drop in family violence, as only criminal cases reach official statistics.626

According to Russian Consortium of Women’s Non-Governmental Organisations, more than 3 400 women were killed in Russia in 2022-2023. Of these, almost 2 300 women were killed because of domestic violence, including over 2 100 women killed by their partners.627 Based on data from regional courts in Russia and illegally annexed Crimea, independent outlet Verstka reported that between 1 January 2024 and 30 June 2024 courts adjudicated 5 000 cases of domestic violence by an intimate partner, including 245 cases in which men were convicted of killing their wives or girlfriends.628 According to data of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in 2024, 530 women in Russia were killed by an intimate partner and 433 by a family member.629

As noted by the Special Rapporteur, Mariana Katzarova, reported cases of domestic violence by current or former armed forces members have ‘nearly doubled’,630 including cases where persons returning from the war in Ukraine killed their wives, ex-partners, or family members, including children.631 There are no legal restrictions preventing repeat offenders from re-enlisting to the Russian armed forces to avoid prosecution.632 Furthermore, pardoned offenders face no consequences of their conviction or administrative supervision, which leaves survivors of domestic violence unprotected from further harassment or retaliation.633

  • 621

    UN Human Rights Council, Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova 15 September 2025, url, para. 109

  • 622

    UN Human Rights Council, Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova 15 September 2025, url, para. 109; Marianna Muravyeva, Online interview with EUAA, 3 October 2025

  • 623

    Marianna Muravyeva, Online interview with EUAA, 3 October 2025

  • 624

    Nasiliyu Net, Постановление Конституционного Суда РФ о возможности запрещать осужденному агрессору посещать места, в которых может регулярно находиться пострадавшая [Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation on the possibility of prohibiting a convicted aggressor from visiting places where the victim may regularly be present], n.d., url

  • 625

    Forbes, Конституционный суд обязал районные суды рассматривать дела о домашнем насилии [The Constitutional Court has ordered district courts to hear cases of domestic violence], 29 March 2024, url

  • 626

    Nasiliu.net, Почти четверть преступлений с нанесением тяжких телесных повреждений в России совершается в семьях. Доклад Центра «Насилию.нет» Almost a quarter of crimes involving grievous bodily harm in Russia are committed within families. Report by the Centre ‘No to Violence’, n.d., url

  • 627

    Consortium of Women’s Non-Governmental Organisations, Масштабы домашнего насилия в России за 2022-2023 годы [The extent of domestic violence in Russia in 2022–2023], n.d., url

  • 628

    Verstka, Календарь домашнего насилия — спецпроект «Вёрстки» о насилии, за которое в России судят каждый день [Domestic Violence Calendar — a special project by Verstka about violence prosecuted every day in Russia], 21 November 2024, url

  • 629

    UNODC, Intentional homicide [Country: Russian Federation, Dimension: By relationship to perpetrator, Sex: female, Year: 2024 – 2024], n.d., url

  • 630

    UN Human Rights Council, Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, 15 September 2025, url, para. 109

  • 631

    UN Human Rights Council, Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, 15 September 2025, url, para. 110

  • 632

    UN Human Rights Council, Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, 15 September 2025, url, para. 110

  • 633

    Consortium of Women’s Non-Governmental Organisations, Масштабы домашнего насилия в России за 2022-2023 годы [The extent of domestic violence in Russia in 2022–2023], n.d., url