Domestic Violence in Moldova - The Advocates for Human Rights

B. Historical BackgroundArmenia is a small republic located in the Caucasus Mountains and bordered byAzerbaijan to the east, Georgia to the north, Iran to the south and Turkey to the west.Armenians refer to their country as the “cradle of civilization.” 15 Armenia has a richhistory that includes relatively brief periods of self-rule interspersed with lengthyintervals of rule by Macedonians, Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Mongols, Turks andRussians. Armenians trace the formation of their country to the second millennia B.C.Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 A.D., andChristianity has remained a major distinguishing feature for Armenians over the centuriesas neighboring regions adopted Islam. Armenians created a written language in 410 A.D.The creation of an Armenian script contributed to the development of the Armenianculture, through religion, philosophy and literature. Located at the crossroads of empires,Armenia saw little peace, but when it did, trade, art, science and literature flourished.The close-knit Armenian family structure is an important characteristic of theArmenian identity. It may have developed in response to frequent invasion or becausethe country’s remote geography meant that families could only survive by workingtogether as “kin groups.” 16 Historically, the Armenian extended family, with as many as20 to 50 relatives living together, was headed by a patriarch (usually the oldest malerelative) and consisted of his wife, their sons, the son’s wives and all unmarrieddaughters. 17 Family work was clearly divided into male and female duties, 18 with womenresponsible for the domestic sphere and men working outside of the home. Traditionally,“the ideal Armenian woman was chaste, restrained and passive. 19 She cared for herhousehold and obeyed her husband and elders without protest.” 20 When a girl married,she became part of her husband’s family and was expected to be obedient and performspecific chores, such as washing the feet of the men. 21 To some extent, this familystructure still influences how family conflicts are perceived today.15 Meline Karakashian, Armenia: A Country’s History of Challenges, 54 J. SOCIAL ISSUES 381(Summer 1998).16 Id. and MARY KILBOURNE MATOSSIAN, THE IMPACT OF SOVIET POLICIES IN ARMENIA 3 (1962).17 See MARY KILBOURNE MATOSSIAN at 3 (1962); Nora Dudwick, Out of the Kitchen into theCrossfire: Women in Independent Armenia, in POST-SOVIET WOMEN: FROM THE BALTIC TO CENTRALASIA 235 (M. Buckley ed., 1997).18 Interview, May 8, 2000 (ethnographer, Yerevan).19 Many people interviewed for this report noted that in Armenia a woman’s virginity at the time she ismarried is still considered important. Interviews, February 17, 2000 (gynecologist, Yerevan); February 19,2000 (sociologist, Yerevan); May 3, 2000 (gynecologist, Yerevan). When asked, however, some peopleagreed that a man’s virginity at the time of marriage should be equally important but that it generally is notin Armenian society.20 MARY KILBOURNE MATOSSIAN, supra note 17 at 11.21 Id. at 5.Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Domestic Violence in Armenia, December 2000 7