Khizrieva's escape sparked a social media debate about domestic violence in Chechnya.

Some Facebook* users have come out in support of Aishat Khizrieva, who was the subject of an attempted kidnapping in Novosibirsk after fleeing domestic violence. Their opponents cited the need to uphold Chechen traditions. According to the "Caucasian Knot" newspaper, 21-year-old Aishat Khizrieva, who had fled Chechnya, was stopped in Novosibirsk by unknown individuals claiming to be police officers and attempted to take her away. They claimed she was accused of theft, but police have not confirmed that she is missing. Aishat filed a complaint about stalking and attempted kidnapping, stating that she is in danger within her family. On April 23, it was reported that Aishat Khizrieva left the country after learning that security forces weren't officially looking for her and no theft complaint had been filed against her.

A Caucasian Knot post about Aishat Khizrieva's escape sparked a lively discussion among Facebook users*. Commenters were divided: some supported the woman, acknowledging the problem of domestic violence, while others denied the problem and considered the coverage of Khizrieva's story a "denigration of tradition."

"Domestic violence exists everywhere, it's just that not everyone is willing to admit it," stated Elena Khanpira. "It's better to be without a family than to live where you're miserable," opined Gorny Khrustal. Their opponents claimed these were isolated cases or fiction. "We don't have violence, we have rules of conduct," wrote Odina Kunduzova. "There is no violence there, it's slander," declared Anna Bersanova. "It's all a lie and a provocation," wrote Zeineb Alihadgi. Yakha Kodzoeva said, "She simply wanted a different life, unrelated to tradition." "She'll grow up and understand the value of home," declared Rushdi Vatan. Other users disagreed. "People don't just run away," wrote Khadija Adbulkadyrova. "If everything had been fine, she wouldn't have left," Olesya Petukhova noted.

Some users raised the issue of "honor" and family reputation, explaining the position of Aishat's relatives. "Family is more important than personal desires," wrote Sabohat Nurovna. "She has disgraced the family," stated Amir Tsaroyev. "The father and brothers must act to prevent disgrace," wrote Akhmed Aliyev.

Opponents of these users criticized the very idea of ​​"honor" as a justification for pressuring women. They recalled the right to personal choice. "A woman is a person, not the property of the family," wrote Lyubov Yatsenko. "Who gave her the right to decide for her?" - Karina Suleimanova was indignant. "This is about freedom, not shame," declared Evgenia Evdokimova.

"This is an attempt to denigrate the Caucasus," wrote Vadim Alisultanov. "Someone benefits from inflating such stories," declared Yegor Shilov.

Some users cited personal experience and observations. "I live in a Chechen family and don't see violence," wrote Anna Bersanova. "I have two daughters, and they don't feel oppressed," said Akhmed Aliyev. "Traditions preserve the people," the same user added in another comment.

"We live by our own adats," Isa Khasumov joined the discussion. "But traditions shouldn't justify cruelty," responded Tatiana Petrova.

"Violence exists in both Europe and the US," said Caucasion Lamro. "But at least they don't justify it with traditions," retorted Zoya Bortnovskaya. "There are bad families everywhere, don't generalize," urged Olga Stradze.

Some commentators pointed out the lack of evidence for the girl's claims about domestic violence. violence. "Is there any evidence to support her claims?" - asked Aza Tsitskieva. "Maybe it's just a fabrication," remarked Evgeny Marshalkin. "It's difficult to judge without knowing the whole truth," pointed out Zaur Kanukov.

As a reminder, domestic violence in Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Chechnya affects women of all ages, but it's mostly young girls under 30 who try to escape, human rights activists from the Ad Rem team noted in their report. The problem of evacuating victims of domestic violence is most acute in these regions, since authorities and security forces there side with domestic abusers.

In June 2023, the BBC released a documentary, "When I Escaped," about girls from the North Caucasus who managed to escape from the control of their families. For victims of domestic violence, escape often becomes the only option. opportunity to save lives, human rights activists emphasized.