Woman from Galați killed by husband after years of domestic violence — 31st femicide in Romania
A 44-year-old woman from Smulți commune, Galați county, was stabbed by her husband on Saturday evening. The attacker faces up to life imprisonment.
Cornelia's death in Smulți: years of abuse, a single fatal blow
A 44-year-old woman, mother of four children, was killed by her husband in the family home in Smulți commune, Galați county, on Saturday evening. ProTV News reports that this is the 31st officially recorded femicide case in Romania this year.
The man, 46 years old, a sheep herder with a criminal record, allegedly stabbed the woman in the chest following an argument. Prosecutors say that a single blow proved fatal. One of the couple's daughters, aged 24, called 112 and reported that her mother was unconscious. The ambulance crew that arrived at the scene was unable to intervene.
The man was detained by police and subsequently arrested for murder of a family member. He faces a sentence of 25 years imprisonment or life imprisonment.
"She was never crucified"
Relatives and neighbours say the victim bore the marks of violence on her face almost constantly. The woman's mother stated: "He set the dogs on her, he beat her and set the dogs on her. She was never crucified, but he did everything else to her."
Approximately one year before the tragedy, the woman had called 112 in desperation, reporting that she was in danger. Brought to the village police station, she withdrew her complaint, claiming her husband "was also stressed" — a formulation that appears, ironically, on awareness posters promoted by the Romanian Police, according to Pro TV correspondents.
Her mother explained that the victim refused to go to the town hall because of the pressure exerted by the aggressor: "She said: 'Don't go to the town hall, because my daughters are students, it will bring shame on my daughters.'"
Authorities alerted, with no result
The family — the victim's mother and sisters — had contacted Smulți town hall three years earlier, reporting the woman's situation.
Ionelia Gaiu, from the town hall's Social Assistance Service, stated: "She told us that Cornelia was being attacked by her husband. I called her, I tried to speak with her, I couldn't. She even defended him, in the sense that she said she had a part in it, that she was loud-mouthed."
Smulți commune mayor Costică Gafton said that over the past two years he had seen the woman only once: "And indeed she did have some marks around her eyes, bruises."
Four children left without a mother
The two spouses had four children together: two daughters aged 25 and 27 and two minor children, aged 10 and 12. Local residents describe the aggressor as a man who "struck fear" into everyone who opposed him.
The entire community is in shock, although, according to testimonies, no one can say they did not anticipate such an outcome. The case draws attention once again to the limitations of the domestic violence victim protection system and the difficulty victims face in seeking help when subjected to pressure from within.
Source: Știrile ProTV