By the numbers: The real scope of domestic violence in Russia

In Russia, public discussions about domestic violence have become far more frequent and high-profile in recent months. However, it’s difficult to understand the true scale of the problem because no detailed, comprehensive official statistics are available. How many women die at their husbands’ hands? How many survivors decide to contact the police? How often do children face violence at home? These questions and others are important, but answering them requires data. Meduza has selected 20 reliable figures to that end. These figures, which include several national studies and a few global ones, provide a glimpse into both relationship violence itself and what Russian residents think about it.

The Russian edition of this article is part of Meduza’s MeduzaCare project, which is dedicating the month of January to coverage of domestic violence.

Sources: Levada Center, VTsIOM, St. Petersburg State University, World Health Organization, European Council, Internal Affairs Ministry of Russia, and an investigation by Mediazona and Novaya Gazeta.