April 19, 2023

Vienna (OTS) – The Directorate of Education for Vienna and the Vienna Bar Association are launching the new edition of the joint campaign “Violence and hatred – prevention in schools: the legal profession clarifies it!” The core of Vol.2 is the visit of lawyers in the classes specifically on the topic of “hate on the internet”. . Because on the threshold of the beginning of criminal responsibility, social media offenses are not a trivial offense in addition to violence. RAK President Univ-Prof. dr Michael Enzinger: “Early clarification can prevent later problems.”

All Viennese schools from the 7th to 9th compulsory school year can take part in the initiative of the Vienna Bar Association and the Vienna Education Directorate. In the 2022 summer semester, 107 schools with 394 classes were already on board, around 10,000 young people! “Explaining the red lines of criminal law to children and showing them possible consequences for themselves and their parents creates awareness and must be a core task of the rule of law,” say Univ.-Prof. dr Michael Enzinger and the Viennese Director of Education Mag. Heinrich Himmer at the joint assessment and outlook meeting of the initiative in the middle school Enkplatz-2 in Vienna-Simmering.

Especially not on the internet should violence be considered a trivial offence

The Bar Association is also on board in 2023 because this campaign corresponds to its obligation as a service center for legal issues. The teachers are supported in their educational work at the school locations. How important prevention is can be seen in many areas of life. Starting as early as possible with education regarding the various aspects of our social coexistence and our basic democratic rules can counteract later problems in adulthood.

Interested schools can register with the RAK Vienna via the online platform, and they will then be assigned a representative from the legal profession. Over 100 members of the Bar Association were available for the project in 2022. On the agreed day, the lawyer will come to the class for one lesson and explain the topic to the students using a pedagogically coordinated presentation. Many relevant legal areas are covered, from the basics such as “criminal acts” to the type of punishment, youth criminal law to hate on the Internet, cyberbullying and its consequences such as slander or unauthorized recordings.

The benefits for the young people and the educators are great, says Dr. Kerstin König, lawyer and lecturer 2022 to report from the classroom: “Especially at the age of 14, when criminal responsibility begins, many still find it fun when others are already being harmed. Many students see that some actions are punishable, but unfortunately some parents don’t either.”

“Duty in the foreground not to let it get that far in the first place”

“I am pleased that we are presenting the successful cooperation with the Vienna Bar Association. In the past summer semester, the Viennese lawyers explained to more than 10,000 young people at 107 schools what criminal acts are and what the consequences are. This year the focus is on the digital space and thereby strengthens young people’s media skills,” says Heinrich Himmer, Education Director for Vienna.

“As the Viennese legal profession, we know from our day-to-day work what the principle of ‘prevention before punishment’ can achieve. Encouraging actions like this is part of our strategy. Because even if it is our business to represent clients in court, the priority is our duty not to let it get that far in the first place,” concludes Michael Enzinger.

The new edition “Violence and Hatred – Prevention in Schools: The Lawyers Clarify!” will take place in May and June 2023 and will be held in blocks at interested schools until the summer holidays. One of them was the Enkplatz-2 middle school in 2022. Headmaster Gerd Bauer knows what day-to-day educational work also means in the area of ​​“hate on the internet”: “My team and I love educational work. At the same time, however, the importance of social work is becoming increasingly important. In a school like mine with around 30 nations and 440 students, I am happy to have competent help from outside. However, it is important for me to emphasize that hate online affects all children and young people – no matter how well educated they and their parents are.”

Simmering’s district manager Thomas Steinhart would also like to emphasize this: “I am pleased that the new edition is starting at a Simmering school and that the Enkplatz middle school invited a lawyer to a workshop in a class as early as 2022. The step towards criminal responsibility is a crucial one and it is important to ensure that young people are well informed regarding their rights and responsibilities. In this way we can empower them to become informed and discerning citizens.”

Questions & contact:

Mag.a Tabea Nica Petra Grießner
Media spokeswoman for the Education Directorate for Vienna
petra.griessner@bildung-wien.gv.at
Tel: 01/525 25 77014

Vienna Bar Association
Mag. Michael Lechner
Milestones in Communication
michael.lechner@minc.at
Mobil: +43 (0) 664 889 75 824