Domestic violence is a serious issue that affects people around the world. On February 7th, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law that decriminalizes many cases of domestic violence for Russian citizens.

Dubbed the “slapping law” by media outlets, the law reduces the severity of punishment for initial acts of domestic abuse that do not seriously injure. According to CNN, the law “decriminalizes a first offense of domestic violence that does not seriously injure the person, making it a less serious administrative offense.” The punishment for breaking the law is a fine of up to 30,000 rubles or $507, an arrest up to 15 days, or community service for up to 120 hours.

CNN reports that the nonprofit organization Human Rights Watch said the law “would seriously weaken protections against domestic violence.” According to the Human Rights Watch, “a study in 2013 found more than 80 percent of violent crimes against women in Russia are committed by spouses or intimate partners. Up to 36,000 women and 26,000 children face violence in the family every day.”

Domestic violence is a problem for millions of women around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, and as many as 38 percent of murders of women were committed by a male partner.

Critics warn that reducing the severity of punishment for domestic violence will hurt women’s rights in Russia and will do more harm than good.