Sexual assault in the Vienna foam bath: academics in court!

Sexual assault in the Vienna foam bath: academics in court!

A 47-year-old academic is currently standing before the Vienna Court of Criminal Court because of a sexual assault. The incident occurred in a bubble bath during a "sex positive party" in the Kaiserbründl. The accused is said to have penetrated a woman without her consent with her finger, which led to massive psychological consequences for the person concerned. Since then it has been suffering from panic and nervousness and is in therapy. For the permanent damage, it demands damages of 3,470 euros. The academic expressed regret about the woman's traumatic experience, but is unsure whether he only touched her on the buttocks.

The prosecutor clearly pointed out in the course of the procedure that the accused could not simply "put his finger in". Witnesses also reported that the accused was already warned before the attack, since he masturbated under a foam tube. In the end, a conditional prison sentence of six months was pronounced, as well as the payment of EUR 2,470. The accused asked for contemplation time; The judgment is not yet final.

understanding of consensus in queer rooms

In Germany, the basic legal understanding of sexuality is based on the principle of affirmative consensus, according to which every sexual act is punishable without the consent of all those involved. This requires that everyone involved consciously, voluntarily and actively agree. Approval can be verbally or non -verbally expressed and must not be obtained by violence or coercion. A "yes" does not generally apply to all actions and silence does not count as approval. There can also be no consensus if a person is unable to act due to alcohol, drugs or health impairments. These principles apply in particular in queer rooms that form safe ports for people who have experienced discrimination.

Joris Kern offers workshops on sexuality and consent and explains that consensus can also be understood as a cultural attitude. In queer settings there are differences between gays and flinta parties. The latter focus on slow communication and security, while gay parties often prioritize physical contact. Facilities such as the Club Schwuz in Berlin promote sex-positive parties and emphasize the importance of consensus.

A look at research on sexual violence

The topic of the consensus is also intensively researched by psychologist Zoë Peterson. In a recently carried out study, men were connected to a lie detector and asked to answer questions about their sexual history and potential attacks. This method made it clear that many men are more willing to admit attacks under pressure. Peterson heads the "Sexual Violence Initiative" work area at the Kinsey Institute, a leading center for sex research. Their goal is to understand the risk factors for attacking behavior and to expand the knowledge of sexual consensus and the corresponding communication methods.

Current discussions and legal framework conditions require constant rethinking behavior standards and dealing with attacks. The horror experiences from the Viennese criminal trial throw a light on the need for clear limits and the constant striving for a positive and respectful understanding of sexuality in all social areas.

For more information about the incident and the case law you can do the articles on Krone , iwwit and view time