The city of Linz has been awarding a women’s prize every year for ten years. This year it goes to the women’s shelter in Linz for the project “StoP – Neighborhoods without Partner Violence”. According to the jury’s decision, this project now starts where violence happens, namely in the neighborhood. The project attempts to prevent violence against women and children, including femicide, but also wants to bring about a “social climate change” in the neighborhood and in the city.
This is extremely necessary when you consider that Austria has a massive problem with male violence and the corona pandemic has made the situation even worse. In 2021 alone there were 31 femicides and 63 attempted murders against women in Austria.
“At least every fifth woman in Austria is affected by violence. The most dangerous place for women is still their own home,” says Women’s City Councilor Eva Schobesberger. She is glad that the Linz women’s shelter is now establishing an additional approach to protection against violence in Linz with the “StoP” project.
“StoP” is a community project and is based on the method of community organizing. This method comes from the USA and supports people in shaping and changing their own living space in a collective and organized manner.
Last summer, the Linz Women’s Shelter brought the “StoP” project to Linz-Nord and started implementing it in Urfahr, starting from the Harbachsiedlung. Due to the interest of volunteers and associations from other parts of the city, the project was extended to the entire city area in autumn.
Source: Nachrichten
