Murder attempt survived

“For the victims, life will never be the same again”

Symbolic image

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/eliosdnepr)

"It will never be the same again. A massive crime like the attempted murder in Linz, where the victim was scared to death, is such an incisive experience that has a lifelong impact. That is the bitter truth. The victims suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives. And the perpetrators go home again after a few years behind bars," says Eva Schuh, head of the Upper Austrian Violence Protection Center in Linz.

"Of course, you can learn to process such experiences with trauma therapy so that you can deal with them. But the basic trust is completely gone. We know from studies that victims of domestic violence are just as traumatized as victims of war."

There are different types of behavior. Severely traumatized victims have to compartmentalize what they have experienced and often appear emotionless when describing the crime.

Eva Schuh leitet das Gewaltschutzzentrum OÖ

A Serbian man (25) is said to have stabbed his ex-wife five times in the upper body in Linz-Ebelsberg at the end of August on the day after her 22nd birthday. According to an expert opinion, she was already clinically dead and only survived thanks to emergency surgery. The defendant was sentenced to 17 years in prison for attempted murder at the trial in Linz on Wednesday - not legally binding.

Scars body and soul
In addition to the terrible scars on her upper body and hand, the victim also suffered equally terrible psychological scars. The young woman is understandably terrified that her ex-husband will come out of prison and then want to finish what he started. "Those affected are informed of the first unguarded exit of a prisoner. However, they then have to take care of their own safety," says expert Schuh.

Arg: relationship victims often also have feelings of guilt. This is because the perpetrators tell them for years that they are doing everything wrong.