Summary

Austrian Women’s Shelter Network

The Austrian Women’s Shelter Network is an affiliation of women working in the autonomous women’s shelters and was founded in 1988. The network is a non-profit organisation and is funded by subsidies, research contracts and donations.

The network runs 4 independent projects:

Information Center Against Violence (Informationsstelle gegen Gewalt)
The Information Center Against Violence works in the field of violence prevention (violence against women and children, domestic violence).

The emergency service provides information for different target groups (victims, their neighbours, journalists, pupils, students, teachers, institutions, politicians etc.).

Other tasks are: public relations, networking, training and further education, research and the development of new strategies, international co-operations.

The Information Center Against Violence was established in 1991.

Team:
Maria Rösslhumer - Director
Daniela Almer - Public Relations
Gabriele Ertl - Office Management

Information Center Against Violence
Bacherplatz 10/4
A-1050 Vienna
Austria
fon: +43/1/544 08 20
fax: +43/1/544 08 20-24
informationsstelle@aoef.at
www.aoef.at

WAVE – Women Against Violence Europe
WAVE is the European Network of non-governmental women’s organisations working to combat violence against women and children (women’s refuges, counselling centers, SOS hotlines/helplines, organisations focusing on prevention and training, etc.). The WAVE Office in Vienna is the network’s coordination point.

In a comprehensive database on the internet one can find various kind of information on the subject of violence against women and children in Europe: www.wave-network.org

Team:
Maria Pohn-Weidinger, Martina K. Steiner Co-ordinators
Rosa Logar, Maria Rösslhumer, Project-management

WAVE – Women Against Violence Europe
Bacherplatz 10/4
A-1050 Vienna
fon: +43/1/548 27 20
fax: +43/1/548 27 20-27
office@wave-network.org
www.wave-network.org

Women’s Helpline Against Male Violence (Frauenhelpline gegen Männergewalt)
0800/222 555

A nationwide, toll-free, anonymous women’s Helpline (0800/222 555) is currently in operation in Austria. It is staffed round the clock by qualified women specialists.

Women’s Helpline Against Male Violence 0800/222 555
fon: +43/544 76 61
fax: +43/544 76 61-30
frauenhelpline@aoef.at
www.frauenhelpline.at

Library

online search: www.plattformgegendiegewalt.at

Library
Bacherplatz 10/4
A-1050 Vienna
fon: +43/1/544 08 20-25
fax: +43/544 08 20-24
alexandra.fugger@aoef.at
www.aoef.at

Violence against women and children
In Europe as a whole – and the same is true of Austria in particular – between one fifth and one tenth of all women living in intimate relationships suffer abuse. The number of unreported cases is very high in the field of domestic violence, many women being reluctant to talk of the abuse that has been inflicted on them out of fear and/or a sense of shame.

Forms of violence

Physical assault such as striking, pushing, punching, pinching, hitting with an object etc.

Damage to property, destroying furnishings or personal belongings, inflicting pain on pets etc.

Menacing behaviour and coercion, such as: “If you leave me, I’ll kill you!”

Harassment like incessant telephone calls, threatening e-mails or text messages, stalking etc.

Isolation, verbal abuse, denigration, economic violence, sexual violence etc.

Women’s shelters
The first Austrian women’s shelter was opened in Vienna in 1978. At present (2005) there are 28 women’s shelters throughout Austria. They afford protection and support for abused women and their children.

Shelters provide women with more than just a roof over their heads. They serve as refuge for women and their children in emergencies. And they give women the chance to consider their next steps in peace and without pressure. They make up their own minds wether or not to leave the perpetrator.

Women’s shelters in Austria