As elsewhere in the Caucasus, Azerbaijani women often keep to themselves memories of past domestic violence or abuse as if they have something of which to be ashamed.

The three women below, all self-described victims of domestic violence or psychological abuse, decided to break with that practice. They were found in a group for Azerbaijani women on social media. They declined to provide their names.

Azerbaijanis often do not consider family abuse, whether physical or psychological, an appropriate topic for discussion outside the family. As in other patriarchal societies, it is frequently the female victim, not the perpetrator, who is blamed for any ill treatment.

That can lead to silence – a silence that skews figures about domestic violence and perpetuates the problem.

These women shared their stories out of a desire to be heard without being blamed. Their accounts cannot be independently verified, yet appear to reflect previously reported patterns of behavior toward females.

Both the government and NGOs have attempted to change such behavior, but, ultimately, experts say, real change begins when women are willing to speak out.