Centers against Domestic Violence in Austria

Upper Austria

Headoffice and Regional Offices against Domestic Violence in Upper Austria Upper Austria Linz Kirchdorf Gmunden Ried Freistadt

DSA Mag.a Maria Schwarz-Schlöglmann Juristin, Sozialarbeiterin und Psychotherapeutin (Systemische Familientherapie), Lawyer, Socialworker and Psychotherapist Geschäftsführerin des Gewaltschutzzentrums OÖ CEO of the Violence Protection Center Upper Austria

Gewaltschutzzentrum Oberösterreich Violence Protection Center Upper Austria

Development  May 1997: The Austrian Gewaltschutzgesetz (law against domestic violence) is enacted.  October 1998: The Intervention Center is established in Linz  Spring 2001: The first branch of the Center opens in Freistadt : 3 more branches January 2006: Law for support in criminal justice is enacted.  April 2006: “Intervention Center” is renamed “Gewaltschutzzentrum” (Violence Protection Center)  July 2006: Anti-Stalking law is enacted  June 2009: The 2nd Gewaltschutzgesetz (law against domestic violence) is enacted, including several changes of the former law

Organisation Chart Club Executive board Management Administration Office cleaning Advice lawyers social workers psychologist s sociologists Deputy management

Kinds of Violence Physical violence Sexual violence Psychological violence Economic violence Social violence Stalking, including Cyber-Stalking

Tasks Providing legal and social counselling to victims of domestic violence Supporting and accompanying them when taking legal steps Support in criminal procedures (due to victim‘s rights prescribed by the law) Counselling of stalking-victims Cooperation with different public and social institutions Training of police officers Public relations Prevention of violence

Our clients 88 % are women 47 % of them have children 93 % of our clients were abused by men of which 64 % are partners or ex-partners 76 % Austrian 67 % of them are between 22 and 50 years old 60 % are referred to us by the police after a domestic intervention (Status: 2011)

Eviction orders

Number of Clients

Team life  Team Meetings: -Team Meeting -Case Review -Review of the year/planning the next year  Counselling - Team Counselling - Case Counselling - Personal Counselling  Team Life in general: time to discuss and exchange opinions, experience…  Further education and seminars

Discription of system of protection against domestic violence in Austria

Law against domestic violence – Model of preventing violence The Austrian „Gewaltschutzgesetz“ – The success exists on three principles: Eviction order from the police Restraining order from the court Violence Protection Centers / Intervention Centers These institutions get information from the police about eviction orders and Stalking, the clients are contacted immediately from the Center against domestic violence; the focus of work is creating security plans and restraining orders with the clients and accompanying them through this steps  Cooperation between police and Violence Protection Centers is a legal duty

Process of interventions Police informs the Violence Protection Center client is interested in taking further steps client does not want to take further steps Get in touch with the client Police intervention Counselling: Analysing current situation Legal and social counselling Danger evaluation Security plan Close the case with possible referral to other social institutions

Report was made to the police Discuss the possibility of apply- ing for a restraining order and support the client in obtaining one We inform the client about the criminal procedure and his/her rights as a victim Provide a lawyer Go along to court with the client The case is closed Final review of the trial and the case

Data 2010: Eviction orders Law against domestic violence

Data 15 Years: Clients Law against domestic violence

Celebration „15 years law against domestic violence“ in parliament

Gewaltschutzgesetz Law against domestic violence § 38a SPG: Enables the police - to remove a violent offender from his home - and to prohibit him from return- ing for the duration of 2 weeks §§ 382b, 382e EO: Enables victims of domestic vio- lence to apply for a restraining order in court that prohibits the offender from -returning home / order to leave home - being in certain places - having any contact with the victim

Psychosocial und lawyer Support in criminal procedures

Information about advertisement and accompanying to the police Making contact to the lawyer Accompanying to court hearings Psychosocial Councelling and support Information about further steps (Crime Victims Law, Psychotherapy)

Support in criminal procedures Legal support:  We provide and pay for a lawyer who is familiar with domestic violence and the local court system.  If time allows, we accompany the client to the first meeting with the lawyer  The lawyer provides us with a detailed report of the trial and outcomes achieved for our clients Social support:  We explain the criminal procedures to the client  Inform them about their rights as victims and testimony at trial  We prepare the client for court (where is it, who will be there, what does the courtroom look like, what does a testimony have to do etc.)  We go along to court and stay with the client all through the trial  We make a final review of the outcome Support is financed by the Ministry of Justice

Stalking Round 10 % of the clients are affected by Stalking (most of the offenders are former relationship partners)

Anti-Stalking-Gesetz Anti-Stalking-law criminal offense with a range of punishment of up to one year of impri- sonment Restraining order prohibiting the stalker from personal contact with the victim from contact via letters or the telephone from lingering in certain places From passing on personal data or pic- tures of the victim from ordering goods or services on be- half of the victim From having a third party contact the victim

Stalking - List of Recommendations for Victims Abstinence (not call back or answer – 1x and unmisstakeable declare that no contact is welcome) Transparence (to inform the social environment workplace – forbid giving informations) Documentation (for evidence) Consequence (recommendations have to be followed, empowering victims do not make any contact)

Continued Violence as a new Criminal law (§ 107b StGB since ) Who continues a longer time physical violence acts to another person can be prosecuted by criminal court For example: slap somebody in the face, to spit at somebody,… such assaults have not been a crime before!

Cooperation partners  Police  Court  Youth welfare office  Lawyers  Other social institutions

Thank you for your Attention!