Ms. defends herself against husband: threat with a knife escalated!

Ms. defends herself against husband: threat with a knife escalated!

In a worrying incident in Vienna, a 32-year-old man threatened his wife with a bread knife on the neck. This terrible act took place in the couple's shared apartment, in which repeated conflicts came to an escalating conflict. The husband had previously banned contact with her family and friends, which indicates profound oppression. In the evening there was a suspected threat of murder around 11 p.m., which finally overflowed the barrel. The man briefly left the apartment, which gave the woman the opportunity to go to a police station and to file a complaint.

The police reacted quickly and arrested the suspect in the apartment. In view of the circumstances, a ban on entering and approaching was imposed against the man, and a temporary ban on weapons was banned to ensure the safety of women. This shows the seriousness of domestic violence, which is still a major social problem. In Austria, according to bmfwf.gv.at , violent acts between people in a common household or close relationships as domestic violence. Protective measures were introduced to help those at risk and prevent violence.

domestic violence and their protective measures

The first Violence Protection Act came into force on May 1, 1997 and established basic protective pillars. These include that the police can remove the endangering persons out of the apartment for a maximum of two weeks (ban on entering). For longer protection, those affected can apply for an injunction to the court. There are also violence protection centers in every federal state that offer support, including security plans and psychosocial help.

Latest developments show that with the introduction of the prohibition of approximation from January 1, 2020, which prohibited danger to approaching less than 100 meters, further progress was made. In addition, in accordance with Section 38a of the Security Police Act, the police are authorized to pronounce and prohibition on entering and approaching. A disregard for these bans can be punished with high fines, which underlines the seriousness of the situation.

statistics and social awareness

The incident focuses on the widespread problem of violence against women. According to statistics.at , women are disproportionately affected by violence due to their gender. A survey by Eurostat and the Federal Chancellery from 2021 shows that violence against women occurs both in intimate relationships and outside. Topics such as stalking, sexual harassment at work and violence in childhood are other aspects that are dealt with in this study.

The European Strategy for Gender Equality 2020–2025 plans comprehensive measures to combat gender violence. This includes the collection of comparable data in order to better understand the prevalence of this violence and to develop future initiatives. It is essential that such incidents are not only regarded as individual cases, but as a tragic expression of a deeply rooted problem in society.

The Viennese police also offer support for victims of violence and witnesses, with a network of aid organizations and emergency numbers that are available to those affected. In the case of suspicious situations or desperate locations, the various contact points should help to receive support quickly and effectively.