In Armenia, As Everywhere, It is Assault Victims Who are Blamed

Violence is a social phenomenon; it’s not connected with the level of education.

This was stated at a press conference today where Women’s Resource Center of Armenia co-founder, sociologist Gohar Shahnazaryan spoke on the manifestations and nature of violence against women in Armenia.

Shahnazaryan said that since, in Armenia, power is attributed to men, then women and children, who are believed to belong to a weaker class, are more vulnerable.

“Also very important is the attitude and work toward victims of violence. Here, unfortunately, [the act of] blaming victims for being victims is widespread, particularly when a woman who has been sexually assaulted is the one in the victim’s role. We always say a woman provoked [the assault] because of this or that behavior or way of dress and as a result she became a victim. However, this is a secondary issue, when there is actually a victim,” she said, adding that violence is connected to opportunities for power.

Another participant at the press conference, director of the Center for Psychological Services at the Armenian State Pedagogical University named after Khachatur Abovian, psychologist Mariam Mehrabyan, named the types of violence prevalent in Armenian society: for example, family, physical, psychological and sexual violence and assault.

“Violence is a socio-cultural phenomenon, based on which violence is the only behavioral model for the person carrying out the violence, it is his self-expression and self-confirmation,” she said.

Coordinator of the Women’s Resource Center Violence Against Women (VAW) program Tatevik Aghabekyan, in turn, informed the press about the Nov. 25 VAW march dedicated to 20-year-old Zaruhi Petrosyan, who died last month after suffering abuse at the hands of her husband and mother-in-law. 

“During the march, a letter will be given to RA President Serzh Sargsyan, as well as the same letters will be sent to the RA General Prosecutor, the prime minister, the chief of police and the Human Rights Defender, asking them to follow-up on Zaruhi Petrosyan’s case,” she said.