Carinthia promotes counseling for women facing violence

Carinthia has launched a campaign to raise awareness of free, confidential and anonymous counseling services for women and girls in every district, ORF reported. The campaign comes after 19 femicides have been recorded in Austria this year.

Women seek help for issues including violence in relationships, threats linked to separation and financial worries. At Belladonna, a women’s counseling center in St. Veit an der Glan, advisers work with clients to find ways forward and connect them with practical support.

Advisers say psychological abuse through mobile phones is becoming more common. Angelika Rauberger of Belladonna said staff are learning how phones can be used to listen in and are alert to signs that someone may know a woman’s whereabouts without being told. She also said new AI glasses are becoming a concern.

The campaign aims to make services more visible and reduce barriers to seeking help. Carinthia’s women’s and equality officer, Martina Gabriel, said every district has a protected place where women can seek professional advice, and that no question is wrong.

Girls and young women can also face psychological and sexual violence, including exposure to harmful content on social media, said women’s affairs official Marika Lagger-Pöllinger. Women aged 14 and older can contact the counseling centers. A telephone hotline is also available around the clock.

Advisers say more women over 50 are seeking help to break free from longstanding patterns and burdens. Rauberger recalled counseling an 85-year-old who wanted to end her relationship, saying it is never too late to seek change.