Perception: Roma often steal non-Roma children and babies to either raise them as their own or exploit them for financial gain.
Reality: Throughout history, Roma have been used as scapegoats when a child goes missing.
In the last 20 years, however, a number of studies have shown that it is, in fact, the Roma population that is most vulnerable to having their children taken from them by the state, Church, and/ or charities.
Roma children are routinely removed from their families for discriminatory reasons ranging from not “looking Roma” to Roma families possessing “too many children”.
Due to poverty and marginalization, Roma children are also at a higher risk of being trafficked.
