The landscape surrounding gender-based violence against women has changed in Belarus, by far for the worse, since 2020. Statistics point to a rise in aggression, with more domestic homicide. Abuers are also beginning to realize the culture of impunity that surrounds their violence. Many service providers have been forced to shut down or flee the country in the aftermath of the post-elections crackdown. For example, Radislava, the most well-known domestic violence shelter organization in the country, was shuttered in 2020, and the lead organizer was targeted by the state until fleeing in 2022.
Compiled from: "Expert: All violence is similar in nature - it comes from Lukashenka or a family member. A quarter of a century was not enough for us to realize this interconnection." RFI, Nov. 29, 2023.