Below are the stories of two women who were helped by the The Women's Crisis Centre "Ekaterina" as a result of the international project, "Life without Fear".

Larissa

Having received help from the Women’s Crisis Centre “Ekaterina”, Larissa told the following story:

Eleven years ago, Larissa married the father of her baby. Larissa is a nurse by training, but now works in a cosmetics salon. Her husband, ten years her senior, is a bank manager. The family lived in a one-roomed apartment, registered in his name, and had a car.

Problems started in the marriage when he started to bring other women home, saying that they were more experienced than her – and then suggested that she be trained in “sexual literacy”. Brought up by a single mother, Larissa did not have experience of close relations with men.

After the birth of her son, her partner became more aggressive. Six months into her second pregnancy, he beat her so badly that she miscarried. Again, she forgave him. She remembers that her partner often talked of his own family - his father beat his mother, for which he had hated his father all his life. He often told Larissa that his own children would be brought up differently.

As time went on, Larissa’s partner drank more frequently, and in a state of intoxication, would shout to the child that she was a “stupid woman”, “bad mistress” and “useless sexual partner”. One day, he slapped her in the face and began to choke her, threatening to kill her, if she dared make a sound. All of this occurred in front of their son, aged just 8½ . So she turned to the police – but the policeman simply advised her to reconcile with her husband, and took no statement from Larissa or her abuser. She gave up trying to bring a criminal case against her partner.

This prompted her partner to take measures against Larissa. He began to deprive her of money for her child, and even more frequently belittled her and threatened her with punishment, in front of their son. Trapped, she even tried to kill herself. Then she decided to appeal to “Ekaterina”, where they advised her to seek help from a lawyer with special training in the problem of domestic violence and private affairs.

With the support of her lawyer, Larissa addressed a complaint to the Chief of the Regional Department of the Police over the lack of action taken by his officer over her initial statement. Only after this did the police take any action. They questioned the victim and perpetrator, and transferred the case to court. The lawyer initially suggested that Larissa’s son go for a psychological investigation at the centre of Forensic Science, as he had witnessed the violence against his mother. The negative influence on the development, mentality and health of children of violence in relations between their parents has been demonstrated through research carried out by Psychologist O.C. Gonina.

The case was heard by the Justice of the Peace N. Kolosova, who had attended the educational programme “Life without Terror”. Larissa’s son did not attend the court hearing, but the judge did question an expert who had carried out a psychological examination on the child. By the standards of Russian law, the verdict passed on this domestic tyrant was severe: a two year suspended sentence, half a year of corrective work and a compensation payment of 25,000 roubles for mental harm he had caused.

Larissa’s shocked partner submitted an appeal against the verdict, protesting that he disagreed with the court, as the child may have been lying at the request of his mother, and had never been questioned in court. He then bought his son a computer, hoping to cajole him over to his “side” prior to an appearance before the higher authority.

The Federal Judge, having studied the evidence of the case, questioned Larissa’s son, in the presence of a teacher, in the courtroom. The boy confirmed all instances of violence against his mum. He also showed the judge a toy plastic dagger, which he had brought to court to protect his mother with. The judge pronounced that the previous sentence would remain upheld. Larissa’s partner, coming out of the courtroom, turned to her and angrily commented: “For ten years I taught you, yet you have still not learnt”.

“Beating”, remarked the judge “- is that what you taught?”

And to his son, his parting words were “I have no need for such a Pavel Morozov, [the young boy who denounced his family to the authorities during Stalin’s purges in the 1930s] in my life!” Incidentally, he soon seized back the computer he had previously presented to his child.

Larissa’s partner made a complaint to the Court of Appeal about the decision of the Federal Judge in the regional court. The case was examined by Regional Judge T. P. Balandina, who had been on a preparatory programme about the problem of domestic violence, participating as a trainer in the “Life without Terror” programme, run for Justices of the Peace by workers of the Crisis Centre “Ekaterina”.

Larissa’s ex-partner again insisted before the court that a child can lie.

Unsurprisingly, the Regional Judge upheld the sentence.

(Compiled by Ludmila Ermakova, April 2007)

Vera

A single woman, doctor by profession, turned to the crisis centre because of the constant battery she suffered at the hands of her brother, with whom she and her parents share a three-bedroom flat. Her mother was against Vera taking measures against the family despot, and so for a long time Vera endured her brother’s taunts. When she decided to go to the police no action was taken and her life became even more desperate. After that, for the first time in her life, Vera turned to the courts. She gave a statement and took the required information. When it was finally heard in court, no substantial or tough punishment was given to the tyrant, and the atmosphere at home was only inflamed. Vera then went to the crisis centre. At first the centre’s legal expert helped her and then she began to go for consultations with a psychologist. Having gone through the first disappointment in court, she no longer wanted to appeal to the justice system, but in time she decided to try appealing to the courts again with the help of a legal expert. The centre’s legal expert accompanied Vera throughout her dealings with the judicial bodies. A judicial investigation was opened and this time the court’s verdict for the aggressor was more severe; he was sentenced to two years suspended sentence and warned that if he offended again he would be imprisoned. Vera’s brother never used physical violence against her again.

Vera has since returned to the crisis centre offering to accompany the centre’s clients on judicial cases, offer moral support and explain the procedure for pressing charges against the aggressor on a voluntary basis. In her own words: “I am so grateful that in my hour of need there was someone there to support me. Just their presence gave me the strength to carry on. I am willing to be that support for other women.”

In the last year, as well as Vera, another of the centre’s clients offered their services free of charge. This woman will assist employees of the centre, rather than the women clients themselves, with organisational work, training and conferences.

(Compiled by Ludmila Ermakova, April 2007)