DUSHANBE, December 19, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) have endorsed a draft law on prevention of domestic violence offered by a group of parliamentarians.

A regular sitting of the fourth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on December 19.

Presenting the law, MP Nusratullo Mahmoudov, who is one of authors of the law, noted that according to statistical data, 5,600 marriages have broken down in Tajikistan over the first eleven months of this year, 1,200 cases more than in the same period last year.  According to him, domestic violence is one of main reasons for breakdown of families.

“This year, more than 32,000 people have applied to crisis centers functioning in the country and 35 percent of them have complained of domestic violence,” Mahmoudov said.  

The parliamentarian noted that they had studied experience of Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova while drafting the domestic violence prevention law. 

He stressed that the main objective of law was in protecting family rights.  “The law also determines ways of providing legal, medical and psychological assistance to the domestic violence victims,” Mahmoudov added.

Deputy Interior Minister, Nourullo Oripov noted that 55 case of domestic violence have been registered in the country this year alone.

We will recall that organized in part by the United Nations, a new campaign was launched in Tajikistan last month aimed at educating men and women about domestic violence.  Prominent Tajiks, including celebrities and religious figures, took part.  According to some experts, domestic violence remains socially acceptable in Tajikistan, where calls to eliminate it are often dismissed as “foreign” meddling in local traditions.

Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV), is defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one partner against another in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation.  Domestic violence, so defined, has many forms, including physical aggression or assault (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, throwing objects), or threats thereof; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; controlling or domineering; intimidation; stalking; passive/covert abuse (e.g., neglect); and economic deprivation.

Domestic violence and abuse is not limited to obvious physical violence. Domestic violence can also mean endangerment, criminal coercion, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, trespassing, harassment, and stalking.