Poverty on the rise

“I could only heat with grave candles in winter”

More and more women are getting into financial difficulties.

(Bild: ©Stanislau_V - stock.adobe.com)

More and more women in Austria are at risk of poverty, and advice centers such as the one run by Caritas in St. Pölten are experiencing record growth. One of those affected talks about her meagre life.

In Austria, 1.3 million people are considered to be at risk of poverty, 336,000 as absolutely poor. Significantly more than half of these are women. "They are often responsible for care work in the family, have little income of their own and are therefore dependent on their partner," explains Caritas Director Hannes Ziselsberger. This is why one in five people who seek help from Caritas in the diocese of St. Pölten is a single parent - and this year there were around 20,000 contacts at the diocese's social counseling and emergency aid centers.

Caritas Director Ziselsberger (left), Secretary General Christoph Riedl, Judith Baumgartner (2nd from left), Sandra Noe-Nordberg (2nd from right) and two women affected by poverty.

(Bild: Thomas Werth)

It becomes all the more devastating when poverty is compounded by mental illness. "Unfortunately, these factors are mutually reinforcing," says Sandra Noe-Nordberg from the Psychosocial Service. Stigmatization, social isolation and a lack of support are a consequence and place an additional burden on those affected. "Such additional stress factors exacerbate depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses," explains Noe-Nordberg.

Social welfare was no longer even enough for the bare necessities
Silvia B. also ended up in this kind of negative spiral: violence from her spouse, loss of contact with her son, escaping into alcohol. As a result, the social welfare was no longer even enough for the bare necessities: "Due to the increase in heating costs, I could only heat the bathroom with candles and it was 12 degrees in the apartment in winter. I slept in winter clothes." She found refuge, help and hope at Caritas' Club Aktiv, which is available in every district capital. "The other people and carers give me a lot of joy there," says B., who has now sworn off alcohol.

Another affected person told a similar story at a Caritas press conference in St. Pölten. She suffered under her violent husband for 15 years before she managed to escape to a women's refuge. She then hastily moved into a small, far too expensive apartment. "I became depressed there," she remembers. She also had to cancel the heating. "I wouldn't have been able to pay for it." She can't make ends meet on the minimum pension plus equalization allowance of 1100 euros. She only has hot meals twice a week. "But then only soup or pasta - so it's cheap," she says.

No one has to be alone. To all women affected by poverty and illness: Get help!

Hannes Ziselsberger, Direktor der Caritas der Diözese St. Pölten

"Only eat what the children leave"
Another Caritas organization that campaigns against female poverty is Family Help Plus, whose carers experience the immense consequences first-hand. "We help women who haven't been to the hairdresser for years and have stopped laughing because they can't afford dentures. We have mothers who can only eat what their children leave so that at least they are full," says head Judith Baumgartner, recounting dramatic stories.

Increase the equalization allowance
Ziselsberger not only appeals to those affected to seek help as quickly as possible: "No one has to be alone. The sooner you get help, the better." However, he also addresses the future government: "Increasing the equalization allowance by 250 euros would be an important step towards reducing the risk of poverty among women."