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Reconciled to Violence
State Failure to Stop Domestic Abuse and Abduction of Women in Kyrgyzstan
Introduction
to the Report
Summary
Methodology
Background..
Political
and economic development in Kyrgyzstan..
Women's
status in society and the family in Kyrgyzstan..
Women's
rights NGOs, crisis centers and shelters
Kyrgyzstan's
international legal obligations
Domestic
Violence
Overview:
A Coordinated Response Needed, including Law Enforcement
Absence
of empirical data on scope of domestic violence in Kyrgyzstan
Attitudes
about Domestic Violence..
Domestic
violence and women's rights a low priority for the government
Views
on Factors Contributing to Domestic Violence..
The
Experience of Domestic Violence..
Beatings
and psychological abuse..
Isolation
and restricted movement
Deprivation
of food..
Consequences
of Domestic Violence..
Physical
abuse leading to serious injury
Physical
abuse causing death..
Psychological
damage and emotional impact
Effect
of domestic violence on children..
Redress
The
laws on domestic violence..
Reasons
why women do not turn to the police..
Police
failure to act to stop domestic violence..
Failure
to prosecute..
Consequences
of police failure to act
Prosecutions
in cases of death..
Police
perceived as perpetrators of domestic violence..
Police
and the aksakal courts
Aksakals
and the law...
Consequences
of police passing cases to the aksakals
Aksakals
view reconciliation as the best solution to domestic violence..
Government
and NGO views and aksakals' influence in domestic violence cases
Emphasis
on reconciliation as the primary solution to domestic violence
Leaving
a Violent Home..
Women's
escape stories
Obstacles
to leaving a violent home..
Imposition
of waiting periods hindering access to divorce..
Difficulties
asserting women's rights to property, alimony, and child custody
Bride-kidnapping
A
Note on Terminology
Background..
Abductions
for Forced Marriage on the Rise..
Pattern
of Abduction..
Motivations
for Abduction..
Men
pressured to marry and to kidnap..
Many
men who kidnap not considered "good matches"
Kidnapping
as a violent expression of male power
Men
who kidnap not held accountable..
Anatomy
of an Abduction..
Abductions
are carried out by acquaintances or strangers
Abductors
may use physical force to capture a woman.. 100
Abductors
may use deception to kidnap a woman.. 103
Abductors
use psychological coercion.. 104
Absence
of consent is ignored in the wedding ceremony105
Abductors
isolate women to prevent them from escaping.. 107
Women
are forced to stay with their kidnappers out of fear of social stigma109
Consequences
of Abduction.. 114
Physical
and emotional pain and suffering.. 114
Domestic
violence.. 117
New
brides forced to work as unpaid servants for their in-laws118
No
Justice for Victims of Abduction.. 119
The
law against bride-kidnapping.. 119
The
law not enforced.. 121
Recommendations126
To
the Government of Kyrgyzstan.. 126
To
Donors132
To
the United Nations133
To
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.. 133
To
the European Union.. 133
To
the United States Government133
Acknowledgements135
Appendix137
Selected
Articles of the Criminal Code.. 137
Selected
Articles of the Administrative Code.. 140
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