Virtual PGR/ECR Discussion Group – Hate Crimes in Romania: Comparative Analysis of the Roma Minority and General Population
Wednesday 26 November 2025, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm GMT, online (UK)
Guest Speaker: Dr Simona Mihaiu, University of Bucharest, Research Institute for Quality of Life, Romanian Academy
Title: Hate crimes in Romania: comparative analysis of the Roma minority and general population
Abstract:
The interest for hate crimes on behalf of the academia and from social control institutions has become increasingly high in the context of the multiplication of civil society actions, which draw attention to the consequences of these crimes and to the need for efficient intervention of the authorities in order to considerably reduce the number of victimized persons. Within this current context, the paper is based on a 2023 study carried on by the Research Institute for Quality of Life (ICCV) for the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police (IGPR), within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The field research included two sub-samples, consisting of 1279 subjects of Roma ethnicity and 1106 subjects from the general population. Both samples are statistically representative at the national level. The main research outputs refer firstly to: the attitudes and experiences of the population, in general, and of people of Roma ethnicity, in particular, focused on victimization and crimes based on discriminatory motive. Secondly, another approached subject relates to factors favouring the victimization of the Roma population versus the victimization of the majority population. Thirdly, the reasons why victims do not report hate crimes cases, as well as the obstacles to reporting these crimes to the authorities in charge. The paper originally contributes to research of this relative recently approached subject in the Romanian sociological literature.
About the speaker: Dr Mihaiu is currently a third-degree scientific researcher at the Quality of Life Research Institute, Romanian Academy. Being a Doctor in Sociology since 2013, she has 15 years of experience regarding vulnerable groups, violence, crime and human rights. Simona further attended European internships at two universities in Spain (Madrid) and Poland (Torun), focusing on family, human rights, and violence issues. The scientific publications and conference communications are based on research on children, young people and women from vulnerable groups (violence, abandonment, addictions, delinquency, etc.) and on aggressors (murder, rape, human trafficking). The purpose of the research conducted, individually or as part of different organisations, was to develop recommendations, methodologies and strategies for social inclusion policies. In 2023, she received the “Henri H. Stahl” prize of the Romanian Academy in sociology, for her book “Violent crime. Social implications and meanings”, published at ProUniversitaria Publishing House, Bucharest.
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