In the period from 2017 to 2018 – on behalf of the Federal Chancellery and the Ministry for Health and Women’s Affairs – a study and brochure on “Cyber-Violence against Women and Girls in Austria” were produced by the Research Centre Human Rights at the University of Vienna in cooperation with the victims protection association Weisser Ring and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (coordinators: Anna Müller-Funk, Research Centre Human Rights / BIM, and Dina Nachbaur, Weisser Ring).

The study and the brochure provide information on the extent, different forms and consequences of digital violence against women and girls as well as on support structures in cases of digital violence. Approximately 1000 girls and women were interviewed about their experiences with cyber-violence. In addition, focus groups with people affected by online violence and an online survey with counselling centres and centres for the protection against violence were conducted throughout Austria.

On the basis of the collected data, the Weisser Ring developed a training manual for multipliers such as counsellors, teachers, etc. and conducted 20 training sessions in women’s counselling centres in 2018.

The study and the brochure are available for download below, the training manual can be obtained from the colleagues at Weisser Ring.

Dina Nachbaur from Weisser Ring and Sabine Mandl from the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights presented the study at three 2019 symposiums of the Austrian Centre for Psychological Health Promotion in Schools (ÖZPGS) in Salzburg, Innsbruck and Vienna  and tried out training methods together with the participants.

For further information, please contact Sabine Mandl: fnovar.znaqy@havivr.np.ng

Further information on cyber-violence against women: Federal Chancellery – Federal Minister for Women, Family and Youth (in German)