Romania Ranks High in EU for Intimate Partner Violence Rates

Romania is among the EU countries with the highest rate of violence against women in relationships, according to Eurostat data, processed by the Social Monitor.

The phenomenon of violence against women is more prevalent in Romania compared to other EU countries, according to a press release. “Intimate partner violence against women occurs across all residential settings and regardless of education level, but it is more frequent in rural areas and among women with lower levels of education,” the report notes.

According to the Social Monitor, nearly half of Romanian women (45.5%) have experienced psychological violence from an intimate partner, compared to the EU average of 29.9%, placing Romania fourth after Hungary (52.1%), Finland (50.2%), and Slovakia (48.9%). “This is an alarming indicator of control, manipulation, insults, and frequent intimidation in relationships,” the statement says.

A quarter of Romanian women (25.4%) have experienced physical violence, including threats, from an intimate partner—more than double the EU average of 10.7%. “When all severe forms of violence (psychological, physical, and sexual) by an intimate partner are included, nearly one in two Romanian women who have ever had a partner (48.9%) report having been affected, compared to 31.8% across the EU,” the release continues.

Partner violence against women in Romania is more widespread among those with lower education: 60.4% of women with low education (up to lower secondary) reported experiencing partner violence, compared to 47.9% with medium education (high school or post-secondary), and 35.8% with higher education. At the European level, the frequency of gender-based violence in couples does not vary significantly with education level, the report states.

In terms of residence, intimate partner violence is more common in rural areas and small towns. In Romania, 50.3% of women in rural areas who have ever had a partner reported experiencing partner violence—the highest in the EU—followed by Slovakia (48.2%), Finland (48.0%), Hungary (47.9%), and Sweden (46.7%), while the EU average stands at 29.6%. Among urban women in Romania, 46.2% reported experiencing partner violence, ranking ninth, compared to the EU average of 35.3%.

The Eurostat data comes from a survey conducted between 2021 and 2024, published in November 2024. In Romania, data collection was carried out by private firms under the coordination of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), in line with the EU gender-based violence survey methodology.

“These figures reflect a high level of violence against women in intimate relationships in Romania—a problem that requires firm intervention from authorities. Necessary measures include awareness campaigns, adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of violence, teaching concepts such as consent, healthy relationships, and gender equality in schools, proper training for professionals working with victims, and expanding available support services (psychological, legal, social),” emphasizes the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Romania Foundation, which developed the Social Monitor.