She was born in May 1986, three years before the fall of communism. It was a difficult time, marked by great shortages, food queues, all kinds of rations, lack of electricity, and censorship that turned the country into a dystopian land devoid of hope.
But she was lucky; her mother, Constanța, was a pastry chef who worked in a bakery near Militari bus station, and her father, Ion, was a skilled auto mechanic – two professions that solved the food and money problem in those complicated times.
Marina was a loved child who went to school, finished high school, pursued studies at a university, not excelling in academics but never giving up.
She enjoyed the love of her parents, her brother, and lacked nothing to be happy until she entered into a toxic relationship.
Violence against women is a scourge in Romania. A combination of the patriarchal legacy of the last century, post-1990 parvenuism, and the new trends of heightened masculinity developed on social networks have created a toxic environment for hundreds of thousands of women in the country, victims of bullying, beatings, and criminal actions.
Here you can read the first four articles in which we presented the tragic end of Marina Avram and the interventions in the investigation and trial that were supposed to shed light on the grim case of a violent death - Illustration by Ada Bucur, for Spotmedia.ro
Marina Avram's case is representative in this regard. The 33-year-old woman died following a brutal beating by her partner, Alexandru Iordan, a violent man with numerous criminal records.
The Unexpected Path to a Toxic Relationship
The process triggered by Marina Avram's death has been ongoing for over five years, with the perpetrator being released from custody for this case. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the first instance, and at this moment, the appeal is being heard at the Bucharest Court of Appeal, with a final decision difficult to predict.
Marina Avram was a woman like millions in Romania. She lived intensely, worked, loved, enjoyed her family, was upset by her parents' divorce, tried to make a living, buy an apartment, and manage on her own.
BY THE SEASIDE. Marina Avram, on vacation. She was a young woman who enjoyed traveling, discovering new places, and enjoying life - Source: Marina Avram's personal archive
Nothing from her childhood, adolescence, and youth hinted at the suffering, did not foreshadow the violent death.
To understand this scourge of domestic violence wreaking havoc in Romania, I spoke with Andreea Goliță, a psychotherapist specializing in couple and family issues.
... for women, it is very difficult, especially when they are emotionally connected. Leaving a relationship for them does not just mean a simple breakup. It comes with a loss of relational identity. That is, a strong sense of guilt arises...
Andreea Goliță, psychotherapist
I tried to find out how Marina Avram, a young woman who did not experience major traumas in childhood, had a good relationship with both parents, had access to education, and was not affected by material shortages, ended up trapped in the deadly cycle of a toxic relationship.
On the day of the violent episode that ultimately led to her death, she had met with her brother to discuss the division of a sum of money sent by their father, who works in England, according to their mother, Constanța Ivan.
A Step into the Unknown
"Women fall into this trap because they are more empathetic, more emotionally connected. They feel that if they stay a little longer, if they love a little more, they could reach their partner's soul. Women believe that if they remain emotionally present in a relationship, if they love sincerely, their partner will change," explained psychotherapist Andreea Goliță, for spotmedia.ro.
"It's an involuntary reaction, I could say, by which the woman remains tied in the relationship, even when reason sends signals that it is very dangerous to stay. Leaving, in many situations like this, often becomes more threatening because it represents a step into the unknown," the psychologist further explained.
Marina had tried many times to leave Alexandru Iordan. She had been beaten repeatedly by her partner, her mother, Constanța Ivan, recounts today.
In many situations, the woman would hide both from her parents and friends. She was ashamed to talk about her sufferings, about the situation she considered a personal failure.
Psychotherapist Andreea Goliță also spoke about the emotional carousel that occurs in a toxic relationship.
"It's like a ping-pong, going from warm to cold. It follows an argument, then reconciliation, a reward ending with a promise - Forgive me, I don't want to lose you. And this keeps the woman's hope alive that the relationship can be repaired," the psychologist explained.
Dependence on the Violent Partner
Marina Avram wanted to escape the trap, but each attempt ended in failure due to the influence and power wielded by her partner in the community, in her system of human relationships. Marina practically had nowhere to run. She moved, got another place to live. Alexandru Iordan always came after her.
"She loved to dance a lot. She would come home from parties, weddings, baptisms, wherever we went, with blisters on her feet from dancing. She was cheerful with everyone. She was an extraordinary child..."
Constanța Ivan, Marina Avram's mother
The way to save a woman from a violent relationship that endangers her life is a complicated one. Close persons, family members, specialists, and institutions must intervene. A single parent or a few friends often have no chance.
"A safe space must be gradually created for the woman to leave the relationship and not fear the unknown. This framework of safety must not only be psychological but also material because many women become financially dependent on the violent partner," Andreea Goliță explained.
"The woman must know that there is always a safe zone, away from the influence of the violent partner. Also, those who support her must not judge, condemn, or give advice. They must be present and convey that they can protect her in any situation. She needs a safe space where no one judges her for what she considers a major emotional failure," the psychotherapist explained.
A Loved Child in Hard Times
Constanța Ivan married at the age of 20 to Ion, a young man from Chiajna. After two years of marriage, she gave birth to a baby girl. "I had a negative blood type. At that time, doctors did not conduct many investigations. Three months after giving birth normally, the little girl passed away," Constanța Ivan recounted.
The death of her first child was deeply felt by both her and her husband. It was a tragedy for the young couple, forced to cope in a hostile environment full of shortages and various obstacles.
"When I got pregnant again, I prayed to God to give me another girl. I felt the need to make peace with life. And so it was. In the spring of 1986, Marina came into the world," Constanța Ivan recalled.
"Times were tough. To take care of her, I had to interrupt my job. We wanted her very much. She was a loved child. I want to tell you that when I got pregnant with the second child, a boy, I didn't want to keep the pregnancy. I thought I couldn't share anything that belonged to Marina with another child. I loved her very much. She was a good daughter," Constanța Ivan, Marina Avram's mother, who was killed in a beating and passed away on March 22, 2020, shared.
Any Form of Violence
In Romania, on average, once every three days, a man attempts to kill a woman, as shown in a report published by snoop.ro. In 2025, 63 women were killed due to domestic violence, according to the cited source.
On December 12, 2025, the Romanian Parliament adopts a law to prevent and combat domestic violence that increases penalties and no longer halts criminal investigations in case the victim withdraws the complaint, as happens in many cases.
Furthermore, the law strengthens the legal institution of "protection orders." These are no longer limited to family but apply to any form of violence - online harassment, stalking, violence in public spaces - regardless of the relationship between victim and perpetrator.
But the major issue in Romania is not the laws, but their enforcement. And the process of Marina Avram's death is an example that describes the corruption in the police, in the judiciary, and the way politics intervenes in the course of justice, which led to the release of the aggressor even after killing his partner due to the influence of the criminal group he is part of.
Through the series of articles about this tragedy, I aimed to present to the readers the story of Marina Avram, who swiftly passed through life, I wanted to show that she was one of the thousands of women abused by men in Romania and who was even mocked after death by the fact that the state authorities failed to deliver justice.