Violence is part of everyday life for many women. Not just violence within your own four walls, which can manifest itself in many forms, but also sexual violence, especially on lively evenings in bars. Far too often women are harassed, threatened and attacked by men. “Violence against women must finally end,” says Petra Geisecker. She is currently in her fourth semester attending the Braunau trade union school and wants to raise awareness of the issue of violence against women with her project group.
On Friday evening, April 26th, the project group will provide information about emergency signals in the Herzog discotheque under the motto “Stop violence”. There are internationally known signals that women can give in emergency situations, especially during local visits, so that they can receive help. “It is important that all women who are affected by violence or feel harassed know these signals, but of course also everyone else who should recognize these signals and can then intervene,” says Geisecker (more about this below).
Learn self-defense
The project group also organizes self-defense courses for women and girls. “This is not about karate training, but about how a woman can free herself from dangerous situations and how women can de-escalate critical situations,” says Geisecker.
Self-defense courses on Friday, May 17th, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the VAZ Mauerkirchen and on Friday, May 25th, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the former Girlinger inn. Registration: 0677/62499196.
The question about Luisa
If a girl or woman asks employees in catering establishments “Is Luisa there?”, then that means she is in a dangerous situation, one in which she is or has been sexually harassed or one in which she is simply threatened feels. The employee offers discreet help by calling a taxi, accompanying the woman outside, etc. The project is already known in numerous catering establishments in Austria’s major cities (and beyond).
The important hand signal
The hand is stretched out, then the thumb is placed on the palm of the hand, the remaining fingers slowly enclose the thumb until a fist is formed. This hand signal means: Help! It is a well-known one that has helped women around the world get out of dangerous situations. It is all the more important to make it more widely known so that people can use or recognize it themselves.
The black dot
It is a campaign that has flared up on social networks: the black dot on the palm of the hand. If a woman paints a black dot on her palm, she wants to signal that she is a victim of domestic violence and needs help to escape from the violent relationship. With this small, black dot, the woman non-verbally asks for support, including from people close to her who do not yet know anything about the domestic violence that the woman has to live with.
Author
Magdalena Lagetar
Innviertel editorial team
Magdalena Lagetar
