Stacey Dooley Investigates

Behind closed doors, Russian society has a dark secret: it's estimated thousands of Russian women are murdered every year by their husbands or partners. Domestic violence is so deep-rooted in Russia there's even a well-known saying, "if he beats you, it means he loves you". Despite the scale of the problem, in February 2017 the Russian government decriminalised certain forms of domestic violence. In Stacey Dooley Investigates: Russia's War On Women, Stacey travels to Russia to explore the reasons behind this decision and the impact that the law-change is having on women. She meets the victims forced into hiding to escape their abusive partners and comes face to face with a prolific violent offender. She visits the hard-line Orthodox Christians championing Russia's return to traditional values and spends time with the young feminists fighting for equality - despite threats and intimidation.