The trajectory of women's struggle against injustice, violence and discrimination often reaches the judiciary system. It is a difficult path in which we have to deal with courts that are not always trained to understand the specific needs of women and to avoid their re-traumatization.
For many of us, access to the justice system is hampered by financial reasons or restricted access to information.
The Equality and Human Rights Action Centre ACTEDO provides women with legal assistance in cases of violence, discrimination in the labor market, non-consensual pornography, and many more. The assistance is provided with funding from the project ”EGALIS: equality through education and social change”.
If you have been in a similar situation or know someone who needs free legal assistance in Romania, please contact ACTEDO using the following form (in Romanian).
Here are some of the cases the association currently deals with:
A 20-year-old student from Iași County has filed a criminal complaint for sexual assault. In order to treat her emotional problems and on the recommendation of her friend, the young woman resorted to alternative therapy sessions conducted by a 45-year-old man. During the meeting, she was offered a massage in which the young woman was sexually assaulted. Due to fear, she couldn’t retaliate, and after further discussions with the man, she found out that two more people had undergone the same treatment.
The case was taken over by the lawyer Smaranda Cristea (Iași Bar).
Legal aid for a woman facing psychological violence by her current husband.
The applicant had to leave her home and move into rent with her 4-year-old child due to the tense atmosphere at home. Her husband continues to insult her and threaten her with text messages, and he recently attacked her to take her phone and delete its messages. The man doesn’t pay alimony for the minor, according to the agreement between the spouses from the moment the woman moved out of the house (kindergarten payment), instead he behaves nicely with the minor and buys her things that she doesn’t necessarily need.
The applicant seeks legal aid for the divorce proceedings, as she is lacking the financial means to hire a lawyer.
The case was taken over by the lawyer Adelina Corina Răcășan (Cluj Bar).
At the beginning of her career, a young woman from Bucharest with visual impairments,, was repeatedly discriminated against in job interviews because of her disability, including for a job that was exclusively for people with disabilities. The applicant contacted us to obtain professional advice in her case, but also to present a complaint to the National Council for Combating Discrimination (CNCD).
The case was taken over by lawyer Cristina Filimon (Bucharest Bar).
A woman from Constanța County, victim of sexual assault and violence by the former concubine. The woman gave birth prematurely due to the shock triggered by her partner, who forced her to engage in sexual intercourse. When she returned from the hospital after giving birth, the concubine tried to force her again.
The case was taken over by the lawyer Smaranda Cristea (Iași Bar).
The request came from a woman denigrated by an online publication where various offensive articles about women are often posted, aiming to humiliate them publicly.
To date, the woman has filed a complaint with the police and the National Authority for the Supervision of Personal Data Processing. She has gathered evidence and needs support in initiating legal proceedings.
The case was taken over by a collaborating lawyer, who advises and supports her in this process.
This request for pro bono legal assistance comes from a young woman whose explicit content pictures were published on a social network against her will. Following an online conversation, the applicant sent to the person she thought was her interlocutor pictures in which she appeared in intimate poses. Later on, she found out that someone else was actually logged on to the recipient's account, and that person started insulting her and published the pictures without her consent. Following this event, the applicant intends to file a criminal complaint.
The case was taken over by lawyer Luminita ANDRIESCU (Dolj Bar).
A woman from Bucharest, victim of domestic violence by her husband (the violence was perpetuated both on her and on their minor child). There is currently a protection order against the husband, and this is not the first order. There have been protection orders in the past, but each time the man continued the physical and mental violence against his wife once the order ended. She wants to get out of the abusive situation, filing for divorce and a partition process, for which she needs legal assistance and representation.
The case was taken over by lawyer Aura Iovan (Bucharest Bar).
The activity is part of the project "EGALIS: Gender equality through social change and education", developed by the Partnership for Equality Center, in partnership with the Front Association, AnA - the Scientific Society for Feminist Analysis, ACTEDO - the Action Center for Equality and Rights Association, PLURAL Association and SEX vs The STORK Association, with financial support from Active Citizens Fund Romania, programme funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants Grants 2014 -2021.
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