Russian Federation: Gender stereotypes and raise of patriarchal values 3/7

Spreading gender stereotypes is another significant obstacle in combating violence against women in Russia. In the last five years there is an increasing renaissance of what is called “traditional values”. The problem is that it is defined based on old cultural views on women’s roles in a family and in the society. However, despite the activities recently launched by progressive forces of the Russian Orthodox Church that are aimed at changing attitudes to domestic violence, there are active conservative groups like “Parental committee” or the All-Russian movement ‘Parents’ Meeting’ that publicly try to promote physical punishment in a family as a cultural tradition.

The stereotype of a woman that primarily is a mother and a ‘domestic goddess’ is being enforced in the society. These discriminatory sentiments and practices are easily maintainable in the environment where gender equality and women’s human rights issues are rejected and considered to be the matters of alien ideology and “foreign” influence both by the state and the general public. Due to the abovementioned facts the lack of gender education and the courses on women’s human rights in the curricula of universities and schools is observed.    

This report is prepared by a group of experts under leadership of “ANNA” Centre for the Prevention of Violence. The Report covers areas of concern in regards to women’s rights especially violence against women with assessment of the state system of tackling violent incidents against women, hence the emphasis in the report on the analysis of the current law and practice.

The monitoring was conducted in Russia in 2010—2015. The monitoring results do not claim to be comprehensive; however, they do provide a general assessment of the situation, identify key problems and trends, evaluate the steps taken to resolve them and analyse existing obstacles. The list of violent incidents contained in the report is neither exhaustive nor representative; however it is a vivid illustration of the nature and scope of violence committed against women in Russia.

 Drawing by Violeta Doval Henández