Russia’s top domestic violence support organization announced on Wednesday that it will be shutting down amid escalating government pressure and resource depletion resulting from its designation as a “foreign agent.”
Founded in 2015 and officially registered in 2018, Nasiliu.net, which translates to “No to Violence,” was the leading organization in the country dedicated to aiding survivors of domestic abuse.
According to the organization, it has directly assisted over 10,000 individuals.
At the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022-2023, it handled nearly 8,000 individual cases, offering legal aid, therapy, emergency shelter, and online support.
In a farewell letter, the organization’s founder and director, Anna Rivina, expressed, “This November, Nasiliu.net would have celebrated its 10th anniversary. We aimed to commemorate this milestone with you to reflect on our achievements and gather the motivation to continue our work.”
“Regrettably, that is no longer feasible. Nasiliu.net is closing its doors,” she stated.
Over the years, Nasiliu.net conducted national awareness campaigns that successfully brought the topic of domestic violence into public discussions, developed Russia’s first specialized mobile application for victims, and created a comprehensive website offering resources and legal advice.
In December 2020, the Russian Justice Ministry classified Nasiliu.net as a “foreign agent.” Early in 2023, they extended the same designation to Rivina, accusing her of disseminating “false information” about the Russian military.
Despite never having received foreign funding, the NGO reported that the “foreign agent” label led to increasing restrictions on its activities, with the initial prohibition on hosting events followed by limitations on educational initiatives.
As a result, donors and collaborators began to withdraw support, significantly impacting funding and essential services.
“More and more individuals were hesitant to be linked with us,” Rivina noted. “The environment for our work continued to diminish until it completely vanished.”
The final blow came in September 2025, when the organization lost access to all domestic donations, which had constituted its primary financial support.
Nasiliu.net announced it will accept new cases until December 30 before officially discontinuing operations.
“Though Nasiliu.net will no longer exist, the issue of violence remains,” Rivina urged, encouraging the public to keep supporting the psychologists and lawyers who continue to work independently.
Russia decriminalized first-time domestic violence offenses causing “minor harm” in 2017, a decision that activists argue has empowered abusers and entrenched a culture of impunity regarding these crimes.
Subsequent attempts by activists and opposition lawmakers to introduce protective legislation for women have not succeeded. Many have warned that domestic violence cases in Russia are likely to escalate sharply as more men return from fighting in Ukraine.
