Not all that needs to be done lies in the area of training. Kazakhstan has a Soviet past, but a national Muslim identity. Some of the obstacles come in the form of family relations, notes Snajdr. There are cultural differences that need to be addressed in the context of Kazakhstani traditional life. Snajdr, Vyortkin, Zellerer, and the officers and crisis center workers with whom they act, find that cultural differences cannot erase the basic elements of abuse.
Domestic violence is an issue of safety for women and children worldwide.
Florida State's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice team of project directors, police officers, and the crisis center workers hope to renew their State Department grant and expand their work in Kazakhstan. Their aim will be to conduct future training sessions to improve the overall response to situations involving domestic violence. Rather, our project encourages a 'let's sit down and create something together approach. This has worked out very well. Jessica Zimmer is a freelance journalist.