Fewer expulsions

Violence protection center: access to weapons too easy

14,600 prohibitions to enter and approach were issued in Austria in the previous year. This is a slight decrease (symbolic image).

(Bild: alfa27 - stock.adobe.com)

Austria's police issued 14,600 prohibitions to enter and approach in the previous year. This is a decrease of 2.85 percent. Representatives of the violence protection centers reported on Friday that they were "also proposing solutions", such as tightening access to weapons.

For category C weapons, rifles and shotguns, it would be "imperative to have a reliability check", said Karin Gölly, Managing Director of the Burgenland Violence Protection Center. Otherwise access would be too easy. There should also be an increase in the compensation for pain and suffering regulated in the Crime Victims Act. Time limits should be abolished. The lump sum compensation has not been adjusted since 2013.

In any case, the impression should not be created that the police do not help, said Marina Sorgo, Chairwoman of the Federal Association and Managing Director of the Styrian Violence Protection Center. The violence protection centers receive information from the police about the no trespassing and approach bans so that they can approach the victims.

This is how the bans on entering and approaching have developed since 2022.

In addition, people who were not previously in contact with the police are also turning to the facilities. Perhaps people are now willing to seek help earlier, and psychological violence is now also taken seriously.

Advice and support
In the previous year, a total of 25,114 people affected by violence received support. 80 percent were female, 20 percent male. "Our services are available to all women, men, children and young people and are of course free of charge and confidential," said Sorgo. The violence protection centers offer advice as well as legal and psychosocial support. They work closely with child and youth welfare services as well as counseling centers for perpetrators.

Help for victims of violence

Austrian violence protection centers: 0800/700-217 Women's helpline: 0800-222-555
Women's shelter emergency number: 057722
Police emergency number: 133

"Prevention starts with structural, cultural equality to break down traditional role models," said Sorgo. There also needs to be sufficient healthcare to prevent mental illness and further training for certain professional groups

"At the same time, we know that in nine out of ten cases of murdered women, they were unable to seek help. We also need to focus on this." She could not say why the number of bans on entering and approaching women had decreased. This would have to be observed over a longer period of time.