Priority actions

Karner announces controls in the red-light district

Rauch (Greens), Raab (ÖVP), Karner (ÖVP), Zadic (Greens) at the violence protection summit in Vienna (from left).(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Following the murder of three prostitutes in Vienna, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has announced priority checks in the red-light district. In addition to prevention, the police also have tasks in the "repressive area", he said on Thursday at a violence protection summit in Vienna.

Following the murder of three prostitutes in Vienna and the double murder of a mother and her daughter (13) within 24 hours, a working meeting on homicides against women took place in Vienna on Thursday, attended by representatives from the federal government, the provinces, the authorities and violence and victim protection organizations.

After the "dramatic weekend" for Interior Minister Karner (ÖVP) with three sex workers killed, he had "commissioned targeted focus campaigns in the red light area". In addition, a sustainable violence protection strategy is being developed, it was said. No specific details or time frame were given. Rauch explained that they deliberately "do not want any quick fixes".

Closer networking and individual case analyses
In the future, all players such as women's shelters, advice centers, violence protection centers and police stations are to be networked even more closely with each other in order to "span a common umbrella", as Women's Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) emphasized. In addition, each individual case is to be analyzed on a scientific basis and a look is to be taken at the strategies of other countries.

Working meeting on homicides against women in Vienna.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

"Dramatic weekend"
Karner also explained that, as part of the reform of the criminal investigation service, the current part-time coordinators for the protection against violence in the provinces are to work full-time in future.

A separate analysis unit in the Federal Criminal Police Office is also "already being set up", said the Minister. He also referred to the increase in specialized police officers. The number of prevention officers has now reached 1200 throughout Austria.