You're reading: France 24: Over 650,000 sign Russia petition to boost domestic violence law

France 24: Over 650,000 sign Russia petition to boost domestic violence law

Published July 30, 2019 at 11:57 am

Alexandra, 26, a victim of domestic violence, poses for pictures in a kitchen at a flat in Moscow on February 3, 2017. - Alexandra Glebova knows only too well the trauma of domestic violence in Russia after suffering years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of her father. Now a law set to be signed by President Vladimir Putin will soften the punishment for such domestic violence from a jail term to a fine.

Photo by AFP

More than 650,000 people have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to toughen domestic violence legislation thanks to a social media campaign on the issue.

The petition was created some time ago but only gathered steam this week after Russian female bloggers and women’s rights campaigners threw their weight behind it with a hard-hitting online campaign.