The protest took place just days after a pregnant woman was shot dead in broad daylight while holding the hand of her three-year-old daughter. The killer was her childhood abuser – a predator who had subjected her to years of sexual, physical, and psychological violence, despite multiple restraining orders and police complaints.
It was the 25th femicide case in Romania in just five months.
The IRES Study: A Stark Portrait of Reality
At the same time, a national study conducted by the Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy (IRES), published in February 2025, revealed data that can no longer be ignored:
- 31% of Romanian women reported being victims of verbal or physical abuse by their partners.
- Over 10% suffered both types of abuse.
- 19% experienced “only” verbal violence.
The most affected are women over the age of 65, with low education levels and modest incomes — precisely the social categories consistently neglected by the system.
“We live in a culture that forgives violence if the victim doesn’t fit into accepted norms. If she is Roma, poor, or has experienced other forms of vulnerability, she becomes invisible — and sometimes even blamed,” stated representatives of a consortium of NGOs present at the protest.
Men and violence: an overlooked but real issue
The IRES study also examined men’s experiences with domestic violence:
- 18% of men said they had been verbally abused by their partners.
- 2% admitted to being victims of both verbal and physical abuse.
These numbers show that, while women are disproportionately affected, domestic violence is a complex phenomenon that requires nuanced and inclusive responses.
Sociologist: “Abuse Has Become a Spectacle”
Antonio Amuza, the sociologist who coordinated the IRES study, warns about how verbal abuse is downplayed in Romanian society. “Abuse is often dismissed as a joke or a domestic squabble. We have few, formulaic campaigns, and social media and television often turn violence into entertainment. Meanwhile, politicians speak of the family as the ‘cornerstone of society’ while ignoring what happens behind closed doors,” Amuza told G4Media in an interview.
What Must Be Done? Education, Policy, and Political Will
The IRES study highlights several urgent measures:
- Introducing gender equality education in schools.
- Launching consistent, sustained public awareness campaigns.
- Providing real services for victims: shelters, psychological counseling, legal protection.
- Holding institutions accountable when they ignore warning signs.
Tuesday’s protest was not only a form of collective mourning — it was a cry for change. A society that has remained silent for too long in the face of women’s suffering is now demanding action.
“When the state won’t protect you, the street becomes the moral tribunal,” said one participant, holding a photograph of the woman killed on Saturday.
The message from the protest was unequivocal: Romania can no longer afford silence. Each femicide is a failure of the state, of the community, and of every one of us who looked the other way. Romanian society must say it clearly and without hesitation: None defeated. None forgotten. None less.