Little Support for Kazak Wives
Women in rural areas have little hope of a sympathetic ear if their husband abuses them.
Little Support for Kazak Wives
Women in rural areas have little hope of a sympathetic ear if their husband abuses them.
Women in Kazakstan’s southern region are falling victim to domestic violence in ever-increasing numbers, but the republic’s legal system seems unable to provide them with any protection or refuge when they are in danger.
Official statistics indicate that nearly half of all women living in rural areas are victims of repeated violence at the hands of their spouses or boyfriends. But women are reluctant to involve the authorities, instead preferring to endure in silence.
“I have nowhere to go, and my husband and I have six children,” said 30-year-old Asem from the Shuss region. “My husband is the only breadwinner in the family. I can’t leave him now.”
In 2004, more than 1,500 crimes against women were reported in the South Kazakstan region, the vast majority being so-called domestic disputes, where the husband beat his wife for “disobedience”. The police refused to issue charges in approximately one-third of cases.
“This means that often a victim has to file several complaints against her husband, asking that he be charged,” said Bayan Alieva, senior inspector of the Jambyl regional police division with responsibility for protecting women from violent husbands. “But most victims will not bring a second complaint, [either following] pressure from relatives or because they are worried about what people will say.”
Denis Konyushikhin, a journalist with the national newspaper Zakon I Pravosudie (Law and Justice), noted that there are few deterrents for the perpetrators and little support for the victims.
“There is not even a crisis centre where a woman can find temporary free shelter, food and psychological help. And the activity of local non-governmental organisations is limited to holding roundtable meetings and conferences with officials,” said Konyushikhin.
Earlier this year, a change in the law empowered police to intervene in domestic abuse cases. Men who physically abuse their wives can be fined up to around 745 US dollars, or imprisoned for 15 days.
One local judge said his colleagues preferred the former because of the costs incurred by the latter. “A sentence of 15 days means additional hassle for the law-enforcement bodies, as the prisoner must be provided for at the treasury’s expense with food, bedding and a guard to stop him running away,” he said.
Civil society groups are now pinning their hopes on a draft law on domestic violence - currently being debated by parliamentary deputies – which attempts to set out clear and effective mechanisms for protecting the victims of domestic violence.
For the moment, the law enforcement agencies are doing what they can to address the problem, with the emphasis on warning abusive husbands to mend their ways.
“We can..put psychological pressure on violent husbands at the request [of their wives]. We come to their houses as often as possible in police uniform and give [the man] a dressing-down,” said one rural policeman. “Strangely enough, in remote villages where the district police officer is the only representative of the law-enforcement bodies, this method works.”
Gaziza Baituova is an IWPR correspondent in Taraz.
