**Clickbait Text:** "Shocking truths about domestic violence in Central Asia revealed! Discover how brave women are breaking the silence and fighting back against their abusers. Their i...
Domestic violence in Central Asian countries remains a pressing and significant issue, despite some positive changes in legislation. Although this type of crime has been criminalized in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and the Criminal Code of Tajikistan provides for administrative penalties for domestic violence, many women continue to endure tyrants within their families.
Journalists from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan are engaging with women who have experienced domestic violence as part of the "By the Rules of Uyata" project. They gather opinions from specialists and ordinary citizens about their thoughts on family violence and the need for stricter penalties for assaults against women.
The project's aim is not only to explore the topic of domestic violence from various perspectives but also to help unite women from Central Asia who find themselves in difficult life situations.
We present to you a collection of real stories from women in these countries who have faced domestic violence and managed to transform their lives through their strength and determination.
Uzbekistan: The Mother-in-Law – A Domestic Tyrant
A resident of Uzbekistan of advanced age, who endured domestic violence from her stepmother in childhood, now keeps her entire family—her 50-year-old son, his wife, and two grandchildren—under strict control.
Maftuna, the 45-year-old daughter-in-law of this woman, shared that she has faced domestic violence since the day of her marriage for the past seventeen years. She describes scenes of psychological pressure and humiliation inflicted by her mother-in-law. According to her, every step she takes is monitored, and every word is criticized. While psychological support is available in the country, professional help is deemed a more effective approach to addressing the issue.
Psychologists note that their assistance is a temporary measure and recommend instilling necessary skills in children from an early age to avoid psychological immaturity that can lead to recurring instances of abuse.
The full story of Maftuna can be read here.
Kazakhstan: How Bikiya Uses the Saltanat Law
In Kazakhstan, the law on domestic violence was criminalized only six months ago, following the global outcry surrounding the brutal murder of Saltanat Nukenova, the ex-wife of former minister Bishimbayev. Since then, more women have begun to shed their fear of "uyata" (shame in Central Asian languages) and are willing to speak out about their abusive husbands.
One of them is Bikiya Makisheva, who decided not to remain silent after several years of marriage to an aggressor. She shared her story on Instagram, in the media, and eventually reached the president of the country.
Bikiya moved from Pavlodar to Almaty at the age of 22, where she met her common-law husband Dmitry. She recounted how her once-beautiful romance quickly faded, leading her to endure insults, humiliation, and even beatings from her partner. Her ex-husband would restrain her, beat her, and pour boiling water on her. Despite all this, Bikiya stands as a positive example of how one can escape difficult family relationships, raise a child alone, and even start a business.
Currently, Bikiya continues to fight for her rights, utilizing the "Saltanat Law." She demonstrates to other women that it is possible to leave any relationship while you are alive and unafraid of "uyata."
The full story of Bikiya Makisheva can be read here.
Tajikistan: Broken but Unbowed
Domestic violence in Tajikistan remains one of society's pressing issues. Each year, approximately 1,500 complaints about family tyrants are registered in the country. This is just the official statistic; the actual number of violence cases may be much higher.
Feminist activist Farzona Saidzoda believes that women endure violence due to stigmatization, patriarchal norms, and economic dependency. She emphasizes the importance of education and employment for women, as well as the need to create favorable conditions, increase awareness of rights, and organize educational projects and campaigns.
The 32-year-old Rukhshona has faced the most challenging trials in her life—abuse from her husband's relatives, rejection in her parental home, homelessness, divorce, and a fight for her children. The story of this woman, who managed to change her life thanks to a community organization, exemplifies that one should never be afraid to seek help.
The full story of Rukhshona can be read here.
Domestic Violence as a Taboo
A commonality among all the countries in the region is that the topic of domestic violence remains a taboo; this issue is often silenced, hindering effective solutions. Additionally, the preservation of patriarchal stereotypes may only exacerbate domestic violence.
Women in Central Asian countries frequently face discrimination and violence due to outdated beliefs about the role and status of women in the family and society. Our heroines come from various ages and social statuses, but they all grew up and lived under the conditions of "uyata," stereotypes, and prejudices.
However, the situation is gradually changing. In Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, laws against domestic violence have been enacted, with criminal liability often imposed on abusers. Each country in the region has initiatives and programs aimed at combating domestic violence, indicating a gradual shift in attitudes toward this issue. For instance, in Kazakhstan, law enforcement agencies received 100,000 complaints about domestic violence in 2023. This is three times more than in the last five years (Kazakhstan's population is over 19 million).
In the U.S. Department of State's 2023 human rights report, it notes that approximately 40,000 reports of gender-based violence are submitted to law enforcement annually in Uzbekistan, with the majority concerning women (Uzbekistan's population is over 34 million).
In Tajikistan, 871 cases of domestic violence were recorded in 2023. In the first half of 2024, the number of domestic violence reports increased to 787, indicating a growing trend (Tajikistan's population is over 9 million).
However, the number of complaints illustrates that the issue has been prevalent for many years and remains so.
Three articles addressing domestic violence highlight the inadequate protection of victims and the lack of social support for those affected. Our stories show how crucial it is for women facing domestic violence to receive timely support, primarily from family and friends.
Through the experiences of our three heroines, we observe that they share a desire to live life on their own terms, regardless of age, profession, or circumstances. Against all odds, they found the strength to either forgive and forget or to distance themselves from their aggressors. These women discovered the resilience to continue living, whether by leaving their abusers and starting anew (regaining custody of their children, launching a business) or by restructuring their lives to ensure that the aggressor no longer had a significant impact on them.
For example, Maftuna from Uzbekistan enrolled in university, fulfilling her dream despite her mother-in-law's tyranny, Bikiya started a business, and Rukhshona succeeded in living separately in a house with her children.
All heroines exemplify strong character shaped by their circumstances. Their desire to change something in their lives (which, however grand it may sound, affects many other women) is a significant step at a time when numerous women in our region continue to endure domestic violence and prefer silence on the matter.
What More Can Be Done?
There is a lack of awareness among the public about laws and measures to prevent domestic violence. It is crucial for victims of domestic violence to know that there is always a place to find temporary shelter—this means more shelters and more information about their operations are needed. Because, as we see from the statistics and our heroines' experiences, women are ready to fight for themselves, increasingly willing to speak out and inspire other women through their examples. However, they must know that after their stories become public, they will be supported. That they will not be left alone. That there is an infrastructure ready to welcome and assist them. That society is also present. That there are processes and procedures that will support them.
This infrastructure can include not only shelters and hotline services.
Political will is also needed to increase public trials of abusers. It is essential for those who perpetrate violence to understand that their actions will be made public, they will be judged publicly, and their dark deeds will not go unpunished.
Public trials are particularly important today because both Saltanat's family and the subsequent Saltanat Law came about due to the open process of the case and the strong public resonance. Without this openness, Saltanat's story would have been just one of many in the news reports. There should be more such public trials.