Distressing cases

Pregnant woman tortured? She does not want to incriminate him

A sad week at Innsbruck Provincial Court: several trials are being planned in connection with alleged abuse of a partner or wife. A pregnant woman is said to have suffered a terrible fate.

Violence in relationships - the extent of this problem is reflected in this week's trial calendar at Innsbruck Regional Court.

On Tuesday, a 33-year-old man stood before the judge who, according to the indictment, did not shy away from abusing his partner even during her pregnancy. On one occasion, he allegedly pushed her against a door and kicked her after she fell. He is said to have threatened to kill her and her child. "She only had bruises because of consensual sex," the man claimed at the trial for continued violence.

We are currently together. We have an on-off relationship.

Der angeklagte 33-Jährige beim Prozess

Partner can refuse to testify
The problem: the woman had reported him, but then refused to testify as his partner. It was now unclear whether the relationship was still ongoing. The judge wants to summon the victim again. If the relationship ended, she would be obliged to testify. The trial was therefore postponed until April.

Two more bad cases from the lowlands
A man from Unterland (27) was already in court on Monday because he had punched his partner, causing her to perforate her eardrum. He also threatened to "knock out her teeth" and that she would be found "bloody in the woods tomorrow". Trial adjourned. 

A case from the lowlands (which has since been postponed) was scheduled for Friday: a 55-year-old man is said to have punched and kicked his wife so hard that two ribs broke and she suffered a bruised skull.