Country: Russia

Group: Roma

Date Finalized: 12/7/2022

Team: Anusha Natarajan (lead), Nichole Dahlen, Natasha Chandra, David Hammerle

Content Warning: sexual harassment, abuse, racism, ethnic discrimination, genocide

Approximate Time Period: 20th century- present

According to the 2010 national census, there are 204,958 Roma in the Russian Federation (Minority Report). Roma have been a historically vulnerable group throughout Europe. The Roma came to Russia in the 10th century to escape Muslim attacks in northern India, where they originated (Refworld, n.d.). In Russia, the Romas have been invisible and treated unfairly in society. Villagers sexually harass the Roma in rural Russia (Roth, 2019). According to a report from 2005, Roma women also endure sexual abuse by law enforcement officials, racist groups, or family (European Roma Rights Centre, 2006; Roth, 2019; International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, 2004). These women do not report cases for fear of shame within the community and reprisals (European Roma Rights Centre, 2006).

Data Quality: Data quality for the Roma is rated a 2/3 because there is little evidence for sexual assault for the Roma in Russia. However, the little evidence comes from reputable sources.

Sources

  1. European Roma Rights Centre. (October 2006). Roma Rights in Russia. Retrieved November 7 2022 from http://www.errc.org/press-releases/roma-rights-in-russia.
  2. Holler, M. (n.d.). Russia. Retrieved 7 November 2022 from https://www.romarchive.eu/en/voices-of-the-victims/russia/.
  3. International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (October 2004). Violations of Roma Rights in the Russian Federation. Retrieved 7 November 2022 from https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/46963aed2.pdf.
  4. Roma in Russia. CSCE. (2016, June 1). Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.csce.gov/international-impact/events/roma-russia?page=47
  5. Roma. Minority Rights Group. (2021, February 6). Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/roma-15/
  6. Roth, A. (June 2019). Hundreds of Roma “forcibly removed” from Russian village. Retrieved 7  November 2022 from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/19/hundreds-of-roma-forcibly-removed-from-russian-village.
  7. The UN Refugee Agency. (n.d.). Refworld | Assessment for Roma in Russia. Refworld. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.refworld.org/docid/469f3ac81e.html
  8. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (2022). GENOCIDE OF EUROPEAN ROMA (GYPSIES), 1939–1945. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/genocide-of-european-roma-gypsies-1939-1945