Sex, Suicide and Death Named Russia’s Top Taboos

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – January 10, 2017)

Sex is the biggest taboo among Russian families, with one in three Russians describing the topic as “unpleasant” to discuss with their closest friends and relatives, a report by independent pollster the Levada Center revealed Tuesday.

Suicide and death were considered too controversial to discuss by 15 percent and 7 percent of respondents respectively.

Five percent said that religion should not be talked about, with a similar number naming the “dark pages of Russia’s history” as a controversial issue.

Other taboo topics included the Russian economy and foreign policy, named by 3 percent and 2 percent of respondents respectively.

Just under half of all Russian families – 47 percent – said that they did not consider any subject as “off-limits,” while 8 percent said they were undecided.

The poll surveyed 1,600 people aged 18 years and older in 137 settlements in 48 regions across Russia.