Romania sees spike in domestic violence

Romania recorded a rise in the number of reported cases of violence against women, as well as concerning statistics such as three in four solved rape cases ending in miscarriages of justice in 2022, according to a report published on Tuesday by the non-governmental organisation Centrul Filia.

Last year, there were over 90,000 police responses to domestic violence. However, the report highlights that violence against women and girls is still under-reported. This is particularly true for victims who may be more likely to face discriminatory attitudes.

In addition, many victims lack confidence in the ability of the authorities to help them, according to the report, which was published as part of the “Reclaiming Power! Making Politics Work for Women” project.

On average, eight children are raped every day. These figures only take into account cases brought to the attention of the authorities, suggesting that the true extent of sexual violence against children remains hidden.

At the end of 2021, the report shows that 2,523 girls aged between 11 and 14 had become mothers. Contrary to prevailing prejudices that associate underage mothers with the Roma minority, the census data contradicts these assumptions. According to Centrul Filia, about 78% of the girls are of Romanian ethnicity, with only 10% belonging to the Roma ethnicity.

The report also notes that three in four solved rape cases are settled, while only one in four is referred to the courts. The report’s authors also argue that prosecutors should collect disaggregated data on the reasons for case closure to understand better the challenges of holding sex offenders criminally accountable.

Of the resolved cases, 58% were closed by classification, and 222 cases were abandoned during prosecution.

The length of time it takes to resolve rape cases can discourage both victims who have filed complaints and those who are considering whether to take legal action, the NGO wrote.

(Cătălina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)