In Russia, a bill introduced by a controversial lawmaker is being advanced that would decriminalize domestic violence.
A recent poll found that nearly 20 percent of Russians think it's acceptable to hit a spouse or a child, The Associated Press reports. Battery is a criminal offense in Russia, but the bill would remove criminal liability for assaults against relatives that do not cause severe injuries. Last summer, the Supreme Court ruled to decriminalize battery that does not inflict bodily harm, but retain criminal charges for anyone accused of battery against a family member. Conservative activists said this wasn't right, because it meant a parent spanking their child would receive a heftier punishment than a non-parent hitting the child. The woman who introduced the bill is ultra-conservative lawmaker Yelena Mizulina, who also authored a law banning "gay propaganda."
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