Romania: Women Press Freedom Demands Justice After Adina Florea Reveals Rape by Ex-VICE Editor-in-Chief
Two other women have come forward with similar stories following Florea’s revelation
Location: Romania, Bucharest
Date: May 20, 2024
Women Press Freedom stands in absolute solidarity with Adina Florea, a reporter for BIRN and former VICE Romania journalist. Florea has bravely revealed how Razvan Baltaretu, ex-editor-in-chief of VICE Romania, sexually assaulted her in 2015 when she was just 20. Following her revelation, Florea was bombarded with disparaging comments across social media platforms and Romanian websites, with many attempting to undermine her credibility and question her motives. We strongly condemn the online backlash directed at Florea, highlighting the obstacles women face when they bravely voice their experiences and demand justice for sexual violence. We call for an exhaustive investigation into Florea’s rape and the subsequent online harassment, insisting on accountability for the offenders.
Adina Florea, a former journalist at VICE Romania, chose not to attend the Superscrieri awards ceremony on May 20, 2024, where her former colleagues were being honored. Florea publicly expressed her unease via Facebook about witnessing her alleged attacker receive an award, stating, "I have a problem seeing my award-winning rapist on stage." She was referring to Razvan Baltaretu, the former editor-in-chief of VICE Romania, who raped her in 2015.
Following Florea's accusation, two additional women who wished to remain anonymous leveled similar allegations against Baltaretu.
Baltaretu has categorically refuted the allegations, insisting that any intimate encounters were consensual. "I deny that it was rape, in the case she [Florea] is referring to," he stated.
Fundatia Friends for Friends, the organization responsible for the Superscrieri awards, expressed their support for Florea by underscoring the seriousness of her allegations and emphasizing the importance of believing victims. Despite the controversy, the foundation stood by its decision to recognize VICE Romania at the awards, attributing this to the team's significant contributions to Romanian journalism.
In the wake of the sexual assault allegations, Baltaretu's professional ties with Romanian media outlets HotNews and PressOne were severed.
Despite receiving solidarity from some media outlets, Florea faced a wave of disparaging comments on social media platforms and Romanian websites, with people attempting to cast doubt on her credibility and motives. In response, Florea addressed the delay in coming forward, explaining, "I didn't speak up because I spent many years trying to protect myself. I just wanted to live, and I did it, including trying to find excuses for the rapist."
The online backlash against Florea underscores the challenges faced by women journalists who choose to speak out about their experiences and seek accountability for perpetrators of sexual violence. In the face of adversity, solidarity and support are crucial for survivors like Florea as they navigate the aftermath of trauma and seek justice in a climate that all too often fails to protect and uphold their rights.
Women Press Freedom staunchly supports Adina Florea. We vehemently denounce the hate speech targeted at her, underlining the damaging effects such attacks have on survivors of sexual violence. We draw attention to the subsequent retraumatization and the reinforcement of prejudices against women survivors caused by online harassment. We insist on a comprehensive investigation into these allegations and cyber abuse, and we call on the Romanian authorities to ensure that those responsible are held to account.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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