While conducting research at the academy's Institute for Socio-Economic Studies of the Population, she came across a survey response from a woman describing maltreatment from her husband.

A few days later, the woman phoned Pisklakova and told her that his husband had struck her face with a shoe's heel for not stitching a button that had fallen off his suit quickly enough.

[5][6] In 1993,[8] Pisklakova founded ANNA (National Center for the Prevention of Violence), a hotline for women to report domestic abuse and receive assistance.

She faced oppositions, such as being accused of aggravating matters, as evident on her first case when the police advised the husband to beat his wife quietly.

[11][4] Since December 2016, ANNA has been listed as a "Foreign Agent" as a result of their work to advance domestic violence legislation in Russia.

[12] She is a Founding Member of the Vital Voices Global Advisory Council, which aims to conduct leadership, advocacy and anti-trafficking training programs for women throughout Russia.

[5][12] Marina headed the Ministry of Labor and Social Development's Gender Equality Commission Working Group to draft anti-domestic violence legislation.

[16] Marina received the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security's 2021 Hillary Rodham Clinton Award.