Epress.am News from Armenia
Domestic violence is widespread in Armenia, wrote the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, in his summary report following his visit to Armenia from 5 to 9 October, 2014, criticizing the practice of violating women’s rights and observing the disadvantaged situation of women in the country. Muiznieks notes that in some instances of domestic violence women have died; 7 deaths were registered in 2013, 12 in 2014.
Citing the NSS and UNFPA’s survey, the report noted that 8.9% of Armenian women have been subjected to at least one form of physical violence by their partners, mostly in the home.
25% of women report at least one form of psychological violence, while 3.3% have testified that they have been subject to sexual violence by their intimate partner. 61.7% of those surveyed endured some form of controlling behavior by an intimate partner through restricting contacts with family and friends, controlling movement or any undertaking outside the household, or making a woman seek permission for accessing health services. The survey also tackles forms of economic violence against women such as economic disempowerment, including economic deprivation (e.g. withholding of money, confiscation of earnings and savings, forbidding a woman to work).
The Human Rights Commissioner also noticed that the phenomenon of prenatal sex selection in preference to boys over girls testifies to the presence of gender bias. Forced abortions are considered a form of psychological violence and a clear manifestations of the disadvantaged situation of women and gender inequality in Armenian society.
The commissioner notes that Armenia’s authorities are not implementing the proper steps to solve the problems. “A number of political leaders, including parliamentarians, have denied the problem of domestic violence in Armenia and even justified it in some cases,” writes the commissioner.
“The Armenian criminal legislation does not include a specific offence of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, and does not address prevention, protection and prosecution issues. Crimes of domestic violence may be prosecuted under other, more general, provisions of the Armenian Criminal Code, such as assault, battery, bodily harm and murder.
However, some forms of violence against women are not specifically criminalised, such as rape by a husband or intimate partner, and forced abortion. No distinction is drawn in the criminal legislation between strangers or family members perpetrating violent crimes,” stated the report.
Muiznieks also called on the Armenian authorities to ratify the Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. The commissioner stated in his report, that he was informed by government officials that Armenia needs time to asses if the convention is compatible with Armenian legislation, as well as, the financial resources necessary.