Domestic violence affects people all over the world and from all walks of life on a daily basis, both in normal situations and in times of crisis. UN statistics show that globally, one in three women become victims of physical assault, and in times of crisis, cases of domestic violence tend to increase significantly. The current crisis caused by the pandemic is no exception, especially in a country like Romania, where, unfortunately, domestic abuse is often considered normal.

In 2019, the Romanian Police recorded 44,094 cases of domestic violence and 51 deaths. This means that every week, one Romanian woman was killed.

Statistics from 2018 show that 24% of Romanian women have suffered some form of violence caused by their partner, while 28% of them know other victims among friends and relatives. Only 47% of the women surveyed were aware of the legislation protecting them from domestic violence and 74% were unaware of the existence of a specialised support system.

The movement restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on everyone, but especially on victims of domestic violence. Romania was no exception to the global trend and reported an increase in the number of assault cases shortly after the restrictions were imposed. The National Agency for Equal Opportunities (ANES) pointed out that the number of calls to the special domestic violence reporting service doubled in the first month of the quarantine (compared to the same period last year). The effects of the quarantine are expected to continue on the new generation enduring the horrors of domestic violence, even after the lifting of the restrictions.