1978: Austria's First Women's Shelter

The idea of creating temporary shelters for women to protect them from violent partners came about in the course of discussions initiated by activists of the second women’s movement about violence against women in marriage and the family. Until then, violence against women was viewed as a social taboo or private matter.

Europe’s first women’s shelter emerged out of a women’s centre that had been founded by Erin Pizzey in London in 1971. In 1974, women’s shelters were built in Edinburough, Amsterdam, St. Paul (Minnesota, USA) and Sidney, and in 1976 in Berlin and Cologne.

Austria’s first women’s shelter was opened in Vienna on November 1, 1978 – initiated by engaged students with support from social democratic politicians, such as Johanna Dohnal and Irmtraut Karlsson. Due to high demand, additional shelters were built in Vienna in 1980 and 1996. The first women’s shelters in the federation states were founded in Graz and Innsbruck in December 1981. Today, there are a total of 30 women’s shelters in Austria.