“16 Days Against Violence” takes place every year from November 25th to December 10th to draw attention to the high numbers of domestic violence across Austria. This year, the SPÖ women’s action is partly in the character of the World Cup.
No (shovel). “Let’s show violence a red card! 2,367 signposts in Lower Austria are too many!” say Schmidt, Schnabl and Muthsam. “We must not leave women alone now and we must do everything we can to prevent domestic violence,” said SPÖ President Elvira Schmidt on the occasion of the campaign.
Increased alcohol consumption leads to more violence
Major sporting events lead to an increase in domestic violence. Studies show this. This is due to increased alcohol consumption. The women of the SPÖ Lower Austria under Elvira Schmidt are therefore once again calling for a rapid expansion of violence protection and counseling facilities for women across Austria. To illustrate this, Schmidt refers to the 2021 figures: “There were 13,546 entry bans in Austria and 2,367 entry bans were issued in Lower Austria alone. This is another impressive increase from the previous year – it can’t go on like this! And if these staggering numbers do not justify the creation of a permanent crisis management team by the ministries of women, interior and justice, as well as organizations active in protecting against violence!”
“It has to be clearly visible in public spaces where help is available. Violence against women happens every day. The World Cup is yet another danger. The federal government has to act and offer a concept of protection,” she said.
like Schmidt.
LHStv follows the same line. Franz Schnabl, who emphasizes the special importance of violence prevention:
“It is unacceptable that the women’s minister is sleeping by the grandfather clock while statistics are sounding the alarm in a wide variety of areas,” he said.
then Schnabl. The president of the SPÖ NÖ points out, among other things, the number of murders of women, of which there are now an average of 3 per month in Austria. An intolerable situation, says Schnabl:
“While the women of the SPÖ put their finger on the wound day after day and demand sustainable improvements for hundreds of thousands of women in the country, the federal government, especially Minister for Women Raab, shines through ignorance and comfort. You can’t go on like this!”
For Amelie Muthsam, president of the SJ Lower Austria and a candidate for the Lower Austrian state elections, the waiting time is long over:
“The paralysis of women’s rights is a sign of poverty, whether in a conservative state like Lower Austria, or even in the federal government!”
Among other things, she calls for the massive expansion of counseling centers for girls and women, as well as a significant increase in the women’s budget.
“If the women’s minister still does not consider herself a feminist, it is better for her to resign today than tomorrow and finally put women’s agendas in more worthy hands.”
In conclusion, Muthsam reiterates his full solidarity with the women’s protests in Iran:
“Because when we talk about violence against women, we must not stop at Austria’s borders. We must think outside the box and strongly condemn the murder of Jina Amini by the vice squad and the brutal repression of the protests that broke out!”
More protection needed
This is what SPÖ women demand
- Protection concept for the football World Cup season: Auxiliary facilities must be clearly visible in public spaces!
- Permanent crisis team from the ministries of women, interior and justice, as well as organizations active in protecting against violence
- More high-risk case conferences
- €228 million for protection against violence and 3,000 full-time places in counseling centers
- Expansion of counseling centers for women and girls and solid core funding
Austria-wide data on entry and approach bans
(Source: Violence Protection Centers Statistics / Vienna Intervention Center)
In 2021
- the violence protection centers/intervention center reported 13,546 police entry and approach bans.
- 22,039 victims of domestic violence received counseling from violence protection centers / intervention center
- about 81.3% of victims of domestic violence were women
- approx. 90.4% of perpetrators were male
Violence against women has risen sharply in Austria in recent years. In 2021, a total of 13,546 entry and approach bans were imposed. (2020: 11,495, 2019: 8,748) 29 women were murdered in 2021. In most homicides of women, a relationship or family relationship (eg, partner or former partner or family member) existed between the perpetrator and the victim. Around 3 women are murdered in Austria every month.
Entry and approach bans 2021
State Number of people Entry bans and people Entry bans per 10,000 population
Burgenland: 297,623 359 12.1
Carinthia: 564,555 814 14.4
Lower Austria: 1,698,995 2,367 13.9
Upper Austria: 1,505,320 2,135 14.2
Salzburg: 562,704 856 15.2
Styria: 1,253,005 1,420 11.3
Tyrol: 764,255 996 13.0
Vorarlberg: 401,607 475 11.8
Vienna: 1,931,830 4,124 21.2
Total: 8,979,894 13,546 15.1