By Salome Khazhomia

Sofio Zurabashvili, 29, is a femicide survival, her husband hit her with an axe in her back and breast on February 25, 2015 in village Kiwia of Martvili.  Kakha Gogia, 31, was arrested by a police force. Investigation has started under the article 108 of the criminal code, prefix 19-premeditated murder. Gogia was jailed for 4 years.

Zurabashvili recalls the details of that horrible crime scene:

“I was lying in bed and was going to sleep, when he entered the room and hit me with an axe. I saw how my lung went out of my chest. I thought I was going to die and wouldn’t be able to see my children anymore,” she said. Zurabashvili says she would never forgive him, but she supports their children maintaining contact with their father. “I can’t be against their relationship,”- she explains.

Zurabashvili was rescued by her son, who ran to neighbors and asked for help. When murder attempt happened, both children were awake.

Neighbours then called the police and ambulance and Zurabashvili was taken to the hospital. Besides couple had frequent conflicts, family has never addressed the police before.

According to the investigation, the motive for an abusive behavior was jealousy.  According to records court documents performed by psychologists, at the time of crime, Gogia was consciously aware what he was doing. In his court statement Gogia admitted a crime, but he claimed his wife was not faithful to him, therefore he couldn’t bear a surrounded shame, as all neighbors were talking about his wife going with other man.

Neighbour Nato Khuntselia, 48, said she has witnessed the scene, of furious Gogia  going on his way to home, but she said she won’t expect him to kill his wife, even  though she new the background story of their  marriage, that they didn’t adapt to each other well.

Another neighbor Cico Morgoshia,  55, claims Zurabashvili was  seeing other men frequently. She characterized him as a working person and sympathizes with Gogia’s feelings.  “It’s terrible when woman betrays husband, that’s the reason, he was often arguing with her, “ Morgoshia said.

Couple got married in 2007 and had been together for 8 years. Both families come from Martvili. They had been living at Gogia’s house. Gogia worked as technician worker. They had two children Nino, 8 and Giorgi, 6.  According to Judge, Soso Odisharia, court decided social service to provide almost 200 dollars to trustee to take care of children.  He says children felt very bad, because their mother was hospitalized, and father was imprisoned.   After two months, Zurabashvili was released from the hospital and children  got back to  their mother.

Nowadays, Zurabashvili lives with her children in her house in Martvili. She works physically to give everything to children. Also Gogia works in Zugdidi and he sends money to his children and supports them financially, as Judge Soso Odisharia, said.

As Judge, Soso Odisharia said, in Martvili, there aren’t known femicide cases, where women are killed but so many cases are about domestic violence. Mostly, it  is connected to jealosy and use of alcohol. Partners even continue to be jealous after getting divorced. “ They are trying again to be in ex-partner’s life and do everything not to give her possibility to be happy”, - he added.   

According to experts, who work on femicide cases, murder of women in Georgia has become common in recent years and the number of femicide cases continue to increase.  

According to UNODC in Georgia, there are many reasons that number of murder cases are increased, and one is the country’s social, economic situation, many families suffer from unemployment.

Baia Pataraia, women right activist says that the jealousy is used as a weapon against women and is a sign of inequality and oppression. “If a man thinks that his wife is cattle, which they can kill in case of infidelity,- it’s discrimination and hatred,” this statement  was posted by Pataraia on social media platform. Pataraia is a lawyer who specializes in women’s issues,  according to her,  women already  are fighting for their rights and freedom of choice. They are making their own decisions, including getting divorced too.