“Rabat”, # 24, 15/06/2005
S. Sanzharova

   On June 8, a “round table” was held at the city Akimat by the regional commission on Family and Women Affairs, the Department of Internal Affairs, and NGO “Sana Sezim”, which was devoted to discussion of the drafting of the law “On Domestic Violence”.
   It seems that the only protection from domestic violence is a marriage contract, in which the parties stipulate in advance all the possible consequences of their union. “The drafting of the law is indeed necessary,” Considers the most advanced Southerners.

   Aigul was having fun climbing the stairs. In an excellent mood: finally finished a hard term, and her last exam, which she feared, earned a score of “excellent”. But most of all, she was happy that Almas finally spoke to her. This cute guy has loved her a long time. And today, he suddenly came up and asked her out. The girl’s imagination drew a lovely heart picture around her possible future...
   From the threshold, she realized that the house was full of some important guests. Aigul went to the kitchen. After a while there, her mother came in, hardly restraining her tears.
   - Mom, what happened?
   - Nothing, daughter, all is well. Did you pass your exam?
   - Yes. Still what’s wrong?
   - My girl, we need to have a serious talk. Do you know Mukhtar?
   - Oh, this is what it’s about? Sure. And what happened to him?
   - Your father has decided to give you to him to marry...
   - And I do not agree. So tell him.
   - But your father has already given his consent.
   - But what about what I think?
   - Well, Mukhtar does have a higher education, and is on good standing with his bosses...
   - Well, Mukhtar does have a higher education, and is on good standing with his bosses...
   - And why are you crying? From the joy?
   Her mother just shook her head and did not respond to her daughter.
   Her father never asked the opinion of Aigul and... in September held an opulent wedding.
   From the first day the young woman realized that her husband needed only to remove the eye, to her friends and relatives once again be able to say, "Behold, they say, what Mukhtar fellow, father of the family. Yes, and his wife was lucky: she had cheese in butter rolls, and even did not have to work.
   And work she wanted. At least to get away from the tears and difficulties. If only to forget that Mukhtar had other women. And at night she would have beatings after his return from someone else's bed?
   Aigul failed. Once, when Mukhtar was at work, she visited her father. He saw the daughter with black and blue marks and decided to speak with Mukhtar. He put Aigul in his car and set off to Mukhtar. When he returned from work he talked with her father and promised that he would not behave the same way towards Aigul...
   Later she woke up and it was night. She lay on the floor in the hall. Her body was sick. She tried to stand, but there were marks on her skin, and there was bone protruding out of it. She realized that she had a broken leg. On all fours, she collected all her will and went out onto the street. There was some kind of stick and with it she reached the road…
   - Who is here in the middle of the night? - Oksana grumbled, opening the door. When she saw her friend with horrible bruises she could barely keep from shouting.
   - What happened?
   - I want to ask you to not say that I am with you. I have nowhere to go, said Aigul and then lost consciousness.
   For two weeks Mukhtar and his father tried to find her. Only the mother knew that she was alive, but she had hidden her whereabouts. After six months Aigul was healed and began working. She started to look for a flat, until one day in the office where she worked, came Mukhtar ...
   Two days later, her drunk brother-in-law came to the house of Aigul’s parents and said that their daughter died. Her mother lost consciousness. Aigul had hanged…
   Every eighteen seconds on the planet a woman is exposed to violence.
   During five months this year NGO “Sana Sezim” has received about 1800 calls on their telephone hotline, 947 of them about domestic violence.
   Since the beginning of the year there have been 2959 crimes committed against women. One third of them are linked to domestic violence. Sometimes when the person who committed the violence is brought to justice, the parties reconcile and the women take back their statements.
   37% of respondents that were interviewed in Shymkent during a sociological study had a first set of domestic violence. However, this is not always accurate and can give an imprecise definition of this phenomenon.
   52,2% of women are passive. They are, for various reasons, have fear of publicity and then do not go to the appropriate authorities to protect themselves.