From Victim to Perpetrator: Authorities Failed to Protect Victoria Prutea

Victoria Prunteanu will spend the next three years and eight months in the prison for stabbing her husband to death in an attempt to defend herself from his attacks. The sentence was pronounced today by the Straseni Court of Law.

The court of law failed to take into account that Victoria Pruntenu was subjected to domestic violence by her husband throughout her whole marriage. Although she has asked for authorities’ help plenty of times, Victoria was not protected from her violent husband.

Though a restraining order was issued in August 2014, the victim remained in danger. The perpetrator violated the restraining order repeatedly, and the authorities failed to ensure her real protection.

The authorities found that both the woman and children were subjected to violence, but the police applied insignificant sanctions against the perpetrator, which had no effect on his behaviour. In the evening of 14 December 2014 Victoria was attacked one more time by her aggressive husband and she defended herself.

Promo-LEX lawyers will appeal the Judgement in a higher court. “If the authorities intervened promptly and implemented the law on domestic violence prevention and combating, the perpetrator would have been definitely held criminally rather than administratively liable for the committed violent acts. If Victoria were protected from her violent husband, the case wouldn’t have had this tragic outcome”, stated Lilia Posting, Promo-LEX lawyer.

It is important to note that Victoria Prunteanu comes from a socially vulnerable family and takes care of 5 minor children.

Find here more details about the case.

For more details, please contact: Carolina Bondarciuc, Promo-LEX Press Officer: GSM 069637849, Tel/Fax (+373 22) 450024, e-mail: [email protected]