AUSTRIA | Face it instead of turning away: Recognising, addressing and preventing violence against women and girls - taking responsibility in the health and social sectors

Face it instead of turning away - Expert forum organised by the Austrian Ombudsman Board and the Stiftung Forum Verfassung with future employees in social professions - Working together to counter violence against women

"Everyone realises that physical violence is violence. The fact that psychological violence is also violence is also becoming increasingly recognised. But we want to work on the fact that there are many other forms of violence that still need to be recognised," said Ombudsperson Bernhard Achitz at the expert forum "Face it instead of turning away: Recognising, addressing and preventing violence against women and girls - taking responsibility in the health and social sectors". In the run-up to International Women's Day, the Austrian Ombudsman Board and the Constitution Forum Foundation launched a follow-up format to the lecture series "One in Five", which was organised by MedUni Vienna in previous years. Students of social work and people in training for other social professions as well as people from civil society came to the event centre of the Constitutional Court (VfGH).

Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz emphasised: "One in three women in Austria experience male violence in their lives. It starts with belittlement, sexism, control, escalates into physical violence and, in the worst case, escalates into femicide." The key to change is civil courage: "We all have to be courageous. Facing it instead of turning away, offer women help, show men boundaries and hold them accountable. It's not easy, but it can be learned," says the Ombudsperson, referring to violence prevention programmes such as "StoP - neighbourhood without partner violence. Sensitisation to psychological scars is also important, especially in the health and social sector: "Psychological violence is also violence. It is crucial to recognise this and to be able to give the women affected the best possible support." Gaby Schwarz concluded: "Every woman and every girl has the right to a life without violence. As a woman, as a feminist and as an Ombudsperson, I am committed to this."

Constitutional Court deals with violence against women in many contexts

"The Constitutional Court deals with violence against women in its daily work in very different contexts," said Constitutional Court President Christoph Grabenwarter: "In several decisions, the Constitutional Court has granted the intervening bodies a margin of discretion in assuming a dangerous situation for entry and approach bans following domestic violence, for example," he said. In asylum law, particular attention is paid to reasons for flight such as forced marriage or genital mutilation, but also in general to allegations of violence against women in the country of origin. Grabenwarter also pointed out the legal requirement for female judges to conduct interviews.

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Source: The Austrian Ombudsman Board