English – Frau Wien

TOGETHER

so that women and girls can live a life free of violence. Women and girls are still threatened and directly affected by various forms of violence solely because of their gender. This is manifested in physical, sexual and psychological violence and affects women regardless of social class, age, religion and ethnic origin. Violence against women and girls predominantly occurs in their own social environment. Very often the perpetrator might be their (former) partner or a member of the family.

foreword

Dear women of Vienna!

Violence against women continues to be a sad fact of our society. Statistics show that at least every third woman is a victim of violence once in her life. It’s clear to us, as the Wiener Volkspartei, that there is an urgent need for action here.

So it was a great pleasure for me to join forces again this year with the chairwoman of the Wienerinnen group, Sabine Keri, to work on the campaign “Show your fighting heart. And stand up against violence against women.” for the “16 Days against Violence against Women” event. There must be zero tolerance when it comes to “violence against women”!

Yours sincerely,

Dear women of Vienna!

We must make a clear commitment to combating violence against women every single day, not just as part of the international 16 Days Against Violence campaign. Because every 2 minutes, a woman suffers violence in Vienna.

This is why we’re also re-issuing the safety tips this year, which we developed with the support of the Crime Prevention Department of the LPD Vienna. Here we emphasise the need for mutual respect, a life free of violence and the great importance of civil courage with the “Show your fighting heart. And stand up against violence against women.” campaign.

Yours sincerely,

TIPS for feeling safe in a public place!

1.

Be on your guard!
Wearing headphones and
being preoccupied with your phone reduces your alertness.

2.

If you experience harassment on public transport, such as the tram or the underground, press the emergency call button.
All underground stations in Vienna have dedicated emergency call boxes (green and white “SOS boxes”) – don’t be afraid to use them in an emergency!

Link to Wiener Linien
www.wienerlinien.at/sicherheit

3.

“Stay safe and take the safest route, not the shortest route!” – Use well-lit squares and streets at dusk and at night, even if it means walking a little longer.

4.

In an emergency, be loud and make noise. Shout out in a firm and loud voice, e.g. “NO”, “STOP”, “Leave me alone”.

A hand-held alarm can be
helpful.

5.

Seek help from
others, calling on them to
be good Samaritans!

Address them directly so they know you’re calling on them specifically, such as “You in the red shirt, please call the police”.

6.

Never leave your own drink
unattended and don’t accept drinks from strangers that have already been opened.

7.

Address a potentially
dangerous person in a formal way so the people around you realise that you don’t know them.

8.

If you feel uncomfortable on the way home, use your phone to call a friend and keep in touch until you arrive home safely.

SIGNAL FOR HELP

Secret signals allow victims of domestic violence to ask for help without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. How to use these hand signals in an emergency and recognise them if others use them.

Turn your hand upwards,
so the other person can see your palm.

Bend your thumb inwards.
It should be lying in the palm of your

Slowly move the rest of your fingers over your thumb, making a fist.

TIPS for feeling safe in a public area and if someone is stalking you!

1.

Does your phone work in all of the rooms in your apartment?

Do you have the important emergency numbers
133 or European emergency number 122 saved in your phone?

If necessary, leave an “emergency bag” with copies of documents, money, etc. with people you trust.

2.

Make sure that the dangerous person cannot find the spare key to your apartment!

Be aware of any way they could gain entry via neighbouring balconies or terraces.

3.

If necessary, tell neighbours, relatives and friends you can trust about what has happened. It’s also a good idea to agree on a “code word” with these people in case of immediate danger.

4.

Speak to your children about what has happened and explain to them how they can get help or what to do in an emergency: Call the police, do not open the door to the dangerous person, etc.

5.

Inform your child’s nursery/school about the incidents.

6.

In the case of stalking, it is crucial that you put
a stop to any contact, then keep some type of diary to record all attempts by the dangerous person to make contact (when, how, where, etc.).

7.

Rethink everyday routines
(e.g. keep changing your usual routes).

8.

Delete your social media or check the privacy settings, do not make any personal data (e.g. address, telephone number, etc.) publicly visible, and block the person in question.

Are you being threatened?

You can secretly call for help with the “DEC112” app.

By simply pressing a button, the police are notified and then dispatched to the person making the emergency call. A silent emergency call is particularly helpful in situations of acute threat or violence as the emergency call can be triggered in a way that is hardly noticeable and background information, such as the caller’s current location, is sent

Let’s keep in touch!

Wienerinnen (women of Vienna) are driving work in this area: Women’s networks, events, surveys on current topics such as their own campaign called “Wie(n) (un)sicher”. This includes exciting discussions, the exchange of personal experiences, women’s political campaigns and much more.

Have any questions for Wienerinnen, would you like to have a say in shaping and changing things in our city?

How to reach us:

Emergency numbers

Austria-wide and around the clock women’s helpline against violence, free of charge and anonymous upon request.

Police emergency number

European emergency number

Police emergency number for deaf people (text with info on emergency situation and location)