Silent screams: women in rural Tyrol fight against violence

Silent screams: women in rural Tyrol fight against violence

In rural Austria there is an alarming problem with violence against women, which is often not adequately recognized or addressed. Katharina P. from Tirol and Claudia F. from Lower Austria reports of terrible experiences that women have to have in small communities. "My husband beat me for years and threatened with the knife," Katharina describes her agonizing past. Despite her injuries and blue spots, the neighbors saw, the silence of the area remained remarkable. For a long time, Claudia found it impossible to talk about her husband's outbreaks because he was viewed in the village and she was financially dependent on him. Shockingly, current statistics from the Austrian Federal Chancellery show that every third woman in Austria is affected by violence. This makes it clear that the topic must be addressed urgently.

For many women, it is an enormous challenge to free themselves from these violent conditions. Tara Giahi, Susanne Kainberger and Fred Lindner met with both women and also speak to a perpetrator who found a way out of the spiral of violence. The assertions of these women and the stories of the perpetrators illustrate a complex and often painful vicious cycle that prevails in many rural areas.

drug addiction among young people

Another terrifying topic is drug crime among young people. A few weeks ago, shocking pictures from a report on youth crime filled the headlines. They show how young migrants fight with knives in front of the Flex Music Club at the Vienna Danube Canal, looking for supremacy in drug trafficking. This violent examination of the drug market is not an isolated case. Petra Falk knows exactly what she is talking about. A year and a half ago she sent a disturbing photo that shows her 16-year-old son Paul after an overdose in the intensive care unit.

In an interview with the topic, Petra and her son open how Paul got into drug addiction at the age of only 13. He was already on the edge of life five times. The way back from addiction is rocky and requires a lot of support and patience. The reportage of Christoph Feurstein and Oliver Rubenthaler shows that there can also be positive turns. After a broadcast of the topic Special, the managing director of Flex, Thomas Eller, reported a little miracle: a real turn in the life of a former guest of the club.

Thomas Muster and his philanthropical commitment

Eva Kordesch accompanied patterns to his home club in Leibnitz, where his career began. Such stories of success, misfortune and ultimately returning show the resilient sides of life - both in sports and in combating challenges that affect many people in society.