Russian women are protesting comments by lawmaker Nina Ostanina, who suggested that domestic violence laws would discourage men from marrying.

Russian lawmaker Nina Ostanina, chair of the State Duma’s Family, Women and Children Committee, has faced significant public backlash after suggesting that a domestic violence law could deter men from marriage. Ostanina argued that such legislation might lead to men fearing punishment for what she termed "impulsive complaints" by women. The comments follow the introduction of a new bill by the New People party aimed at criminalizing domestic abuse.

Public and Political Response

Social media influencers and activists have criticized Ostanina’s stance, arguing that a domestic violence law would only deter abusive men. Blogger Maria Golovinskaya, who has 2.8 million followers, stated that decent men would not be afraid of the law. Ksenia Goryacheva, the author of the New People bill, questioned the priority of preserving marriage statistics over the safety of women, noting that thousands of women are killed by their husbands annually. Ostanina has since sued Goryacheva for defamation.

Legislative Context and Demographic Concerns

Russia decriminalized first-time domestic violence offenses causing minor harm in 2017. Amid a push by the Kremlin to promote "traditional values" and address a demographic crisis, the debate over re-criminalizing such acts has intensified. Following the recent backlash, Ostanina proposed restoring criminal liability for first-time family assaults. A 2024 survey by the independent pollster Russian Field indicated that approximately 90% of respondents support a law introducing criminal penalties for domestic violence.