The most recent series of alleged murders of women has led to the first political consequences. On Wednesday, Women’s Minister Susanne Raab (VP), Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (VP), Justice Minister Alma Zadic and Social Affairs Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (both Greens) met online with representatives of violence protection organizations.
24.6 million euros are to flow as emergency aid, for example in more anti-violence training and process support for women and children. The organizations are demanding almost ten times as much for a “national action plan” with 228 million euros in order to implement the “Istanbul Convention”. A legal reform should enable the violence protection centers to be informed again via stalking reports.
“Do not tolerate violence”
Affected women must become aware “that they do not have to endure violence,” said Nicole Meissner, head of the Catholic St. Elisabeth Foundation, which supports women in need. It is about destigmatization: “The women are the victims, but are obviously ashamed that this has happened to them. They often see the blame for the bad treatment in themselves.”
Nehammer announced that 800 prevention officers are to be trained as contact persons for victims of violence, and also wants to examine an automatic ban on weapons in the event of evictions or entry bans.
The summit had a sad daily background: In the morning hours, the body of a 36-year-old Serbian woman was discovered in an apartment in Vienna-Simmering. Her husband is still under suspicion (see report opposite).
Minister for Women Raab, who described the federal government’s plans as the “greatest violence protection offensive in recent decades”, had already exchanged views with experts on “culturally shaped violence” one day before the round table. Which met with little understanding from the green coalition partner. “Violence against women is a global problem that runs across all social classes,” said Mückstein. It is important to “break up incorrectly conveyed role models”. The Minister for Women then also declared that it was “irrelevant” to “reduce” violence against women to the issue of migration, “I just want us not to be blind in any one eye”.
Rosa Logar from the Vienna Intervention Center against Violence in the Family called for a central contact point (“one-stop shop”) for victims of violence. Because they would currently have to “rattle off up to ten authorities”. Christine Haberlander (VP) welcomed the fact that more money was being made available. “Violence against women has no place in Upper Austria. I appeal to everyone who feels threatened to come forward.”
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