47% of Female Homicide Victims in Russia Died in Domestic Violence Cases—UN Data

In 2024, 963 women in Russia were killed as a result of domestic violence, accounting for 47% of all intentional female homicide victims that year, according to UN data cited by independent media outlet Important Stories. Of these cases, 530 women were murdered by their intimate partners, while another 433 were killed by other family members.

This figure—47%—marks the highest proportion in the past 15 years. However, experts caution that the increase might not solely reflect a rise in violence, but also improved data recording by law enforcement. Previously, the “relationship to the victim” field in criminal case files was often left blank, an anonymous expert on Russia’s judicial system told journalists.

“Global criminology suggests that in countries like Russia, this figure should be approaching 70%,” the expert noted. “What we’re seeing is a gradual increase that likely reflects better documentation rather than a sudden spike in violence.”

Read more

Category

Anti-Fake

The Ugly Truth Behind the "Traditional Values" Russia Sells

Sep 17, 2025 19:35

Efforts to pass a national domestic violence prevention law in Russia have stalled for over a decade. Although a draft bill was proposed in 2019, it was repeatedly revised and never made it to parliamentary debate.

According to the independent outlet Verstka, the Russian Orthodox Church played a key role in opposing the legislation. In 2023, the Kremlin reportedly assured the Church that the bill would not be adopted.

Russia has also refused to sign or ratify international treaties such as the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating domestic and gender-based violence.

In 2019, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered Russia to enact domestic violence legislation. However, following its expulsion from the Council of Europe in 2022 due to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia withdrew from the ECHR’s jurisdiction and ceased complying with its rulings.

Earlier, it was reported that the Russian government proposed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin formally withdraw from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, including all its additional protocols.

Support our frontline reporters

We report from the front lines to show the reality of war. Your support helps us stay there and tell the stories that matter.

DONATE NOW