Romanians Advocate for New Bill Criminalizing Femicide

Romanian protestors in Bucharest.

As of September 29, 2025, 33 Romanian women have been victims of femicide in 2025 alone. Femicide is defined as the killing of women and girls on account of their gender. This form of violence is often driven by social norms and unhealthy power relations. 

Romania has consistently ranked high in femicide rates, recording up to 86 victims in a single year. The country also faces a disproportionate rate of domestic violence against women, with one study reporting  that women comprise nearly two thirds of abuse victims

Even these official statistics, however, leave many women’s experiences unrepresented. Due to various societal pressures, victims  are often unable  to report their experiences or seek help, leaving their cases unreported. As explained by spokesperson RFI Romania, many women who do speak up “are blamed, and authorities send them back to their aggressors, because there are no services available.”

In response to the recent deaths of 33 women, Romanian activists have lobbied for a bill that would criminalize femicide and sentence offenders to life in prison. The petition, signed by over 15,000 people, was solidified as Senator and PSD Vice President Victoria Stoiciu announced plans to pass a law criminalizing femicide. She noted that “in addition to introducing femicide [into the Penal Code], we also want to make other changes that will protect victims and prevent femicide, such as introducing a mandatory risk assessment in cases of domestic violence, continuing criminal prosecution in cases of domestic violence, even if the victim withdraws her complaint, separate incrimination for threats, without prior complaint, there is even a proposal to eliminate the suspended sentence for those who violate the protection order.” Through this new law, legislators and law enforcement hope to both lower femicide death rates, and allow more women to feel more comfortable speaking out about their experiences without fear of retaliation from their aggressors.

Along with these domestic efforts against  femicide, Romania has also approached the EU Parliament for technical and financial support to strengthen national victim protection infrastructure. Officials say that these resources would enable the Romanian government to implement tools that would aid women in reporting abuse and accessing help.