VOA常速英语:俄罗斯拟对家暴从轻处理 受虐女性未来引担忧

At a shelter for battered wives, Marina, who does not want to be identified, cooks and sells Russian pies to earn money.She and her oldest daughter escaped from her abusive husband three months ago,after she recovered from injuries so severe she was in a wheelchair.

“Police came when I was beaten, and later he even beat me when I was in the wheelchair, hitting my legs.So they came and said, ‘It is your family matter; you quarrel and then you reconcile.’”

Victims fear police will be even more reluctant to help after Russian lawmakers voted to reduce the punishment for some domestic violence to just a fine and days of jail time.

Sponsors of the reduced penalty agree those who cause bodily harm, should still be subject to criminal prosecution.

But when the beatings take place during an emotional conflict caused by a situation,when the people had no intent to inflict a considerable harm to each other,when there is no persecution in relation to a person from another human,in these cases it is acceptable to impose an administrative responsibility.”

The group who initiated the change in law, Parents’ Resistance,says a scourge of false accusations broke up families when punishment was tough.

“We have many such cases of such kind and there are more and more of them within the last year or year and a half.Parents are now quite scared to take kids to trauma centers, even if it is necessary.”

Some high-profile victims say President Vladimir Putin should not sign the change into law.

I think we have to think twice ... making such decisions.Because it’s a very serious task ... a very serious question for a lot of families in our country.I know what it is like to suffer from domestic violence.”

Regardless, more shelters for domestic abuse are needed.

It may be that more women have learned about our center.We have found out that the number of inquiries has grown by 150 percent this year.”

Russian official figures show 40 percent of violent crimes are committed within the family and thousands of women are killed every year in domestic violence.

Daniel Schearf, VOA news, Moscow.