Forced reproduction: gendered exploitation under slavery in Moldavia and Wallachia (present-day Romania)

The enslavement of the Roma people in the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia – territories of present-day Romania – spans 500 years of oppression and dehumanisation for Roma communities. Despite the persistent violence associated with the institution of slavery, discussions regarding the recognition and impact of this history on Roma remain marginalised. Critically, forced reproduction, to which enslaved Roma women were subjected during this period, has been largely ignored in knowledge production, including in feminist studies. This article uses a critical and interpretative analysis of existing studies about slavery to shed light on the gendered exploitation of Roma women's bodies during the era of slavery, focusing on forced reproduction. In particular, it (1) unpacks the multifaceted dimensions of forced reproduction and (2) explores the tropes and the legitimisation of the violent practices against Romani women in some of the most influential texts about slavery from mid-nineteenth-century to the late twentieth century.