The situation is deeply concerning for women across Central Asia, where domestic violence remains a serious and pervasive issue - with numbers on the rise. Most Central Asian countries do not view domestic violence as a distinct criminal offense, whilst structural problems - like widespread victim-blaming, lack of state support for victims, of specialized training for police and of services such as the provision of shelters in rural areas - linger. Countries have been promoting change though: This year, Kazakhstan adopted legislation strengthening protections for women and children, including domestic violence survivors; Kyrgyzstan expanded legal protections for women against rape, sexual assault, and bride kidnapping; and Uzbekistan made domestic violence a stand-alone criminal offense.