Worldwide in 2022 – 89,000 cases. Femicides, defined as the “killing of women and girls because of their gender […]” by the Vienna Declaration on Femicide of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in April 2013, are becoming increasingly prevalent. Specifically and ironically enough, the city in which this declaration was written is the capital of a country where a femicide crisis was declared. A German news outlet similarly pointed out, “Austria has a problem!”, as since 2016, more women than men are being violently killed each year (UNODC), most often by people they were close to. 

It’s now April 1st and there have already been 7 femicides in Austria – 7 lives taken simply because the victims were women. In response to these tragedies, the union of Austrian women’s shelters organized a so-called “scream day” to get the attention of politicians and the media, in hopes that they will tackle the issue. Such protests can be witnessed regularly in Austrian cities as feminist movements intend to change the public discourse. Although Austria was one of the first European countries to implement laws against domestic violence, enough has not been done! A specific issue within Austria is the insufficient number of women’s shelters. To comply with the regulations established at the Istanbul Convention, Austria should see at least 60 additional places nationwide, and within the EU at least 55,000 (Amnesty International). 

Austria‘s femicide crisis seems like a paradox. Vienna is the world‘s most livable city, with top rankings, boasting its positive attributes. This begs the question: Why does Vienna, such a rich and developed European city, see an increase in femicides weekly? Political discourse is divided on this. While the left wing blames toxic masculinity, the right blames the increase in violence on the increasing number of immigrants. With no conclusive evidence on either side, the question remains unanswered.

As the Austrian state fails to address the issue properly, we urge for international awareness and an increase in the protection of women.

Written by Maxima Krage and Anton Hieden

Written by

maximakrage

Maxima Krage is a second-year student at Forward College in Politics and International Relations. She is interested in international affairs, feminism, literature and photography. You can either find her in the library, exercising or wandering through the streets of Paris, exploring the city arrondissement by arrondissement. You can contact her on Instagram @maxima_sophie.