Soon it will no longer be a crime in Russia to beat family members — as long as you don't cause bodily harm. The lower house of the Russian parliament on Friday gave final approval to a bill decriminalizing some forms of domestic violence — a move that has sparked intense public debate. Critics of the measure have warned that it would encourage domestic violence and fuel crime. In 2013, more than 9,000 women were reported to have been killed in domestic violence. Russian police are often reluctant to react to domestic violence calls, which many regard as meddling in family affairs.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 27, 2017 16:11 UTC