StoP employee: – ‘Partner violence is often dismissed as imported’

About every sixth woman is affected by physical or sexual violence in her partnership. One in three has experienced psychological violence, such as insults and threats in intimate relationships (source: Statistics Austria). Yet Sylvia Aufreiter often hears in her workshops or in conversations that there is no partner violence in her own neighborhood or family members.

Later it turned out time and time again that this assumption was incorrect. Those affected may feel embarrassed and present themselves to others as the perfect couple. Another reason is a lack of knowledge, for example that not only beatings or rapes are forms of violence. According to the counselor, physical violence is most noticed by those around you if, for example, the victim has suffered bruises after a violent argument.

Perpetrators isolate victims
At the same time, she points out that perpetrators often keep those affected under control and isolated. After the lockdown, more people affected by violence reported to the Linz women’s shelter than during the curfew – the time when the perpetrator was more likely to be at home.

A wide variety of women come to the women’s shelter with their children. Contrary to what some think, it is not only visited by people with a migrant background who have been victims of violence, says Aufreiter. “Partner violence is often dismissed as an imported problem,” and it runs through all nationalities and social classes.

Another misunderstanding is that violence is private. If the social environment suspects something, they don’t want to get involved at all. StoP sees it as its task to get rid of these social ideas. Sylvia and her colleagues travel to different districts of Linz, such as the Franckviertel, to do outreach social work. Among other things, women’s and neighborhood tables are offered. At the fortnightly tables people meet who want to learn about violence against women and who want to work against violence.

Argue against sexism
Interested parties can discuss the exact content. In the Franckviertel there was always a desire to receive theoretical input, for example about violence on the internet and child protection. In Urfahr, signs for murdered women were designed together. In addition, other events are regularly scheduled, such as argumentation training against sexism, self-confidence training and a theater pedagogical workshop on civic courage.

“In the long run, it will be of great value to us if society realizes that intimate partner violence will no longer be tolerated,” says Aufreiter. However, everyone can contribute on a small scale. Aufreiter recommends calling the police (anonymously) in acute violent situations and continuing to listen carefully. For example, to interrupt a nearby act of violence, you can ring the doorbell and ask for milk. This can slow down the dynamics.

Further advice from the social worker: give the person concerned a card from the women’s shelter or an advice centre, hang a poster with contact points in the stairwell (StoP offers some on the website) and give the person concerned the chance to talk. It is important to observe and respect both your own boundaries and those of those affected. After a rejected offer, one should not become accusatory or judgmental. After all, the background is unknown and such behavior is even more harmful to those who are victims of violence.

In addition, immediate success is usually impossible to detect. “It takes a lot of courage to take the step of divorce,” says Aufreiter. The women do not know what comes next, and their livelihood is not always assured either. This is where the government, among others, comes into the picture – whether it concerns the creation of sufficient childcare places or the long-term financing of anti-violence facilities and associated projects.