The outdoor pools have already ended their season, now people are increasingly drawn to indoor pools and thermal baths. Because sexual harassment occurs there again and again, the state of Upper Austria has now extended its “No-Go” campaign, which was originally aimed primarily at outdoor pools, to this area as well. “Everyone should be able to feel comfortable in our swimming pools. You can’t repeat that often enough,” says Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander (VP).
The campaign is based on two pillars: On the one hand, employees are trained in workshops at the autonomous women’s center in Linz how to deal properly with perpetrators and victims of sexual harassment or sexualised violence. “The main thing is to play through different scenarios and possible courses of action so that they can react correctly in an emergency. The employees of the lifeguards should help those affected how best to behave depending on the situation,” says Margit Schönbauer from the women’s center.
Thirty employees from swimming pools throughout Upper Austria took part in the training in the summer. “The employees were very committed and willing to learn,” says Schönbauer.
In addition to staff training, which is now continuing, posters will be made available to the baths and communities. These point out to potential victims that the staff can help them. “That creates awareness and can also deter potential perpetrators,” says Schönbauer.
Source: Nachrichten
