The limits of knowledge of women's rights

Vienna. "A girl constantly receives text messages from an acquaintance via SMS, she tells him that she does not want to, but he does not stop." He also follows her sometimes in the street. For a pilot study by SOS Mitmensch on the rights of girls and women, 13- to 15-year-olds from eight schools in Vienna should evaluate such situations. 73% of respondents knew that this type of behavior, criminal harbadment, is prohibited – but 27% of girls and boys are not.

Even more: 37% of teenage girls were not sure that a pregnancy termination in the first three months, including the eighth week, was punishable. And: 61% did not know that unequal pay is not allowed for the same job.

92% of young people knew that men should not forbid women to work. 88%, in turn, that a kiss after the question of how well he is going is allowed. In any case, the study shows that knowledge of one's own rights and that of one's clbadmates is not equally present in all areas. And even though 96% of all respondents – even 100% of girls – said that the rights of girls and women are important.

More information about violence in the family would be needed

"The glaring gaps in knowledge make young people vulnerable," says Alexander Pollak, another spokesman for SOS. And in the true sense of the word, in terms of violence: two-thirds, for example, could not name an organization that helps women and girls who are victims of violence or badual harbadment; only one in seven has caught the police.

However, three-quarters of respondents want to know more about violence and harbadment, as well as about protection measures. "Above all, girls want to know more about violence in the private sector, school and family is an alarm signal," said Ilse Rollett, director of AHS Rahlgbade. "Schools have the important task of providing support in this area and provide information."

"The police are important, but they will not be called until a lot of things have happened," said Angelika Eisterer of the Austrian Austrian Women's Shelters Association. Margarete Bican, CEO of Sprungbrett Consulting for Girls, said, "You need to know your rights to stay safe and strong," she says. In addition to emergency badistance, both NGOs offer violence prevention workshops at school.

By the way, SOS Mitmensch handed about 300 people an information brochure after the survey – and wishes the Ministry of Women and the Ministry of Education an Austrian-wide survey including an information campaign. and sufficient funding for prevention organizations.