Horrific abuse: Chechen sentenced to 6.5 years!

Horrific abuse: Chechen sentenced to 6.5 years!

Leoben, Österreich - in Leoben has started a trial against a 58-year-old Chechens, which is under police protection because of severe abuse of his 17-year-old daughter. The accused is said to have tortured his daughter with blows, including a belt and the flat hand, since she was ninth. In addition, threats against the daughter were expressed: she had to marry a Chechen husband, and her friend threatened the accused that his arms and legs were broken. The violent incident, which led to the escape of the daughter, occurred on Christmas 2022, as the Krone reported.

In the interrogation, the daughter described the excesses of violence that had "always always" started. However, the father denied all the allegations, describing his daughter as a "good actress" and the girl's mother claimed not to have noticed anything of the attacks. The judge, on the other hand, expressed no doubt about the credibility of the daughter and imposed a judgment of 6.5 years in prison, whereby the defendant asked for three days to think about it, since the judgment is not yet final.

context of the Chechen Community

The actions of the accused are part of a larger, worrying trend in the Chechen Community, which has around 30,000 members in Austria. According to today, violence and feuds are common in this community and often arise, in particular the degradation of female family members. Honor is a central topic that has to be defended, which can promote violent arguments.

The Chechens have a tragic story of oppression and suffering, including repression under Stalin and two heavy wars with Russia. These experiences shape the identity structures and behaviors in the diaspora, where marriage practices often emphasize their own communities. Chechens tend to marry within their culture to strengthen their community and keep their cultural traditions up.

invitation to more understanding

As part of a work on Chechen diaspora in Austria, the need for a better understanding for this refugee group is emphasized. The University of Vienna researches qualitative analyzes of biographical interviews how the character and the characteristics of the refugees can change in exile. The fears of deportation and the challenges of integration play a central role here.

The interesting findings show that the Chechens are considered inhomogeneous and disorganized as diaspora. Better integration could benefit both politics as well as the media and civil society. It is evident that the challenges that the Chechen community faces are not only due to individual deeds, but above all roots in a complex interplay of culture, history and social dynamics. This could help in the long term to reduce the negative prejudices and to pave the way for a harmonious coexistence.