After the government budgeted 25 million euros for the protection of women from violence in the previous year, the measures are now to be expanded further. As the next stage, an app is to go online in March that will make a “silent emergency call” directly to the police in emergency situations, said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) and Women’s Minister Susanne Raab ( ÖVP).
“The women concerned can activate the silent emergency call using an app on their cell phone without the police having to call them back,” said Karner when presenting new measures to reduce violence against women and girls. Registration must be carried out beforehand and the address must be given. In an emergency, all you have to do is press a button in the app and “the police will immediately go to the crime scene and investigate,” said Karner. In addition, there should be a nationwide deployment of officials who have special experience with the topic of violence in the family. “This requires special training.”
The pilot operation, which has been running in Vienna since July, was successful. According to the interior minister, the project is now to be extended to all of Austria.
increase conviction rates
Justice Minister Zadic has meanwhile announced that the conviction rate for violent criminals will increase, which is why the range of court assistance for women is to be expanded: “Women who make use of psychosocial court assistance are more successful in enforcing their rights.” Only 20 percent of women would currently make use of this offer.
In addition, an “improved quality in the preservation of evidence” is necessary, said the minister – in future, interrogations should be carried out immediately after the crime and medical examinations of the victims should take place promptly after the crime. A “violence ambulance” could be set up for this purpose.
Source: Nachrichten
