Violent crime

Why women are often not safe in Austria

Symbolic image.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Jan-Philipp Strobel)

Austria is considered a very safe country. However, if you look at the domestic murder rate, this does not always apply to women. "Couch Talks" guests Yvonne Widler and Dr. Erich Lehner explain why this is the case and what needs to change to counteract this in the podcast by the Association of Austrian Psychotherapists (VÖPP).

Dr. Erich Lehner, Chairman of the umbrella organization for men's work in Austria, attributes the fact that the propensity for violence against women is higher in Austria in particular to the traditional and conservative image of men that prevails here. This image of the "right" man is characterized by dominance, competition and hierarchy. In an exaggerated form, this masculinity leads to a perpetrator personality. Of course, this does not mean that every man is also a (potential) perpetrator of violence, but in situations in which his own dominance is challenged - such as during a break-up - a man can revert to a violent pattern.

Similarities and differences between men in violent relationships
Yvonne Widler, journalist at the "Kurier", talks about her research for her book "Heimat bist du toter Töchter" about the similarities between violent men. She found out that the group of men who were obliged to attend violence prevention classes due to a ban on entering and approaching is very diverse. From autochthonous Austrians to migrants, from the social lower class to the upper class, from young to old - but what these men have in common for the most part: That until these violence prevention lessons, they had never been able to talk openly about their problems in a one-to-one conversation and reflect on them accordingly.

The image of men from an early age
Both girls and boys continue to learn from an early age that a "real" man only talks about his feelings with a great deal of caution and is responsible for providing but not for care work. This is the reason why the traditional role model of men and women is firmly anchored in our society. Mothers still do most of the child-rearing and housework, while fathers are rarely at home. This creates a hierarchical imbalance between men and women from the very first years of life.

The gaps in the Austrian parental leave model
Both the so-called daddy month and the partnership bonus are intended to encourage a fair division of parental leave between the two parents. Nevertheless, the number of months of parental leave taken by fathers is actually declining. However, this is not necessarily due to the will of fathers. Widler attributes this on the one hand to the financial losses - despite compensation and a one-off bonus payment for a 50:50 split, the young family usually ends up with more if the parent with lower earnings stays at home. On the other hand, men would sometimes have to fear consequences from their employer and colleagues if they took paternity leave - from being socially labeled as a "henpecked husband" to possibly losing their job.

Another reason why shared parental leave is often not taken is the traditional family role model that still exists. Widler states that she has observed very entrenched views, particularly in rural areas, which mean that young mothers often stay at home for several years and effectively take care of child rearing alone - regardless of previous career goals.

Widler is therefore calling on the government to adapt the parental leave model accordingly so that fathers are much more involved in bringing up their children. This could be implemented with a mandatory sharing of parental leave, as is already the case in Iceland, for example. Companies should also be held more accountable with regard to gender equality - both in terms of salary and the rights of mothers and fathers after the birth of a child.

Men are needed for a rethink
The prevailing image of men in Austria is not only reflected in the many femicides, but sexist and misogynistic remarks are also a sign of dominance- and competition-based masculinity. This male image is particularly evident in situations where men are among themselves. Widler and Lehner make it clear in the interview that men in particular are called upon to react appropriately to such talk and to point out the misconduct. It is therefore not only men who are willing to use violence that need to change, but also men with liberal and more modern values, so that the image of men in Austria can change in the long term.

Perpetrator-victim reversal
Most femicides in Austria are committed in relationships. There can be many reasons why the women concerned were unable to separate from their violent partner in time. In addition to the hope of recovery, isolation, fear of their partner's behavior, concern for their children, the environment dominated by their partner and the perpetrator-victim reversal play a major role. The latter is expressed by the partner, for example, in statements such as "If you behaved differently, I wouldn't have to do this", but this perpetrator-victim reversal can also manifest itself from outside and ultimately become entrenched in the affected woman's own mindset if, in a similar case, the woman is blamed, for example in the form of "She should have known better".

You can get help here:

Women's helpline: 0800 222 555

Women's helpline Vienna:01 71 71 9

Information for men: 0800 400 777

Please don't look away!
The women affected often lack social contacts and their own safety net due to isolation by their partner. This makes it all the more important to intervene as an outsider. As a first step, it is often enough to offer or seek a conversation. Of course, care should also be taken not to put yourself in danger - for example, if you hear strange noises coming from your neighbors' home, it may be more sensible to contact the police directly. Regardless of how you feel about the individual persons in an (allegedly) violent relationship, you also have the option of contacting the above offices anonymously and free of charge.