Criticism from SPÖ, NEOS agree, but describe the law as an “empty shell”
Vienna (PK) – The MPs discussed National Council a legislative initiative by the coalition parties Promotion of violence clinics. The debate became more topical due to a suspected femicide on Tuesday evening in Vienna.
Violence clinics should be further promoted and expanded – at least there was agreement among the MPs on this. One of the main tasks of the violence clinics, as they already exist in Graz, is to carry out a forensic medical examination of all people affected by violence. Injuries and traces should be documented so that they can be used as evidence in proceedings. These should be accessible for ten years, regardless of whether the victims want to file a complaint.
The “Violent Outpatient Funding Act” proposed by the ÖVP and the Greens is intended to enable the federal government to enter into funding contracts with violent outpatient clinics. Universities that have a forensic medicine institute, but also other suitable operators, are addressed. These would have to meet a “minimum catalog of criteria,” explained ÖVP MP Michaela Steinacker. A violence clinic will be opened in Vienna in the summer, where there will also be mobile teams that will come to the victims as well as to hospitals or family doctors, she explained. Steinacker was convinced that the ambulances would serve to prevent violence because the perpetrators would also know that there are places where victims could go and they would then be transferred. “It will be ensured that those affected are believed in proceedings through clear evidence,” emphasized Justice Minister Zadić. According to the minister, the aim of this proposed law is to create a basis for permanently securing violence clinics.
Libertarians support legal initiatives
While Christian Ragger (FPÖ) considers the “legal initiative to be good and right” because in practice we often see that legal proceedings are stopped because there is no “objective evidence”, Selma Yildirim (SPÖ) criticized it. Although she did not question the fact that violence clinics were lacking in Austria and that they were suitable for raising the conviction rate, since a parliamentary proposal had been submitted “more than four years ago”, she did criticize the draft law. For Yildirim, it is incomprehensible why the initiative was introduced without an assessment. Experts were not consulted, “there is outrage and uncertainty,” said the MP. Yildirim also noted that the constitution provides ministries with the opportunity to award funding to operators. During the debate, the SPÖ representative submitted a motion that calls for a “solid legal anchoring instead of just an authorization to promote violence clinics”. Yildirim insisted on the involvement of experts and an assessment of the draft law. “I want to give you the chance to decide on effective measures,” she said.
SPÖ application for violence clinics as early as 2021
This caused a lack of understanding among the coalition party members. Meri Disoski (Greens) said: “In 2021 they submitted a motion to the Justice Committee that called for violence clinics.” While the government parties then began working across departments with experts from the Interior, Women’s, Health and Justice Ministries as well as external experts and also in consultation with the federal states to develop a concept for these violence clinics and to ensure the financial framework for this Members of the SPÖ parliamentary group accused the government of inaction. “Do you want violence clinics now, yes or no?” she addressed the SPÖ. Disoski’s parliamentary group colleague Agnes Sirkka Prammer justified the initiative proposal and the associated lack of an assessment phase as a “resource-related, time-related issue”. But it would not change the fact that the current proposal is a good one. A statement was made by experts. The two points of criticism were addressed, but were viewed as unfounded. The MP refuted the fear that violence clinics would lead to centralization with the argument that forensic medicine was trained as part of the violence clinics and mobile teams were sent out. The argument that structures are being created to support companies or institutions that have already been supported is irrelevant, Prammer explained. She followed the argument of ÖVP colleague Steinacker, according to which it was only possible through the funding law to support institutions that had already been funded – and so “the proven pilot project could be legally protected”. Prammer appealed to the SPÖ parliamentary group to “think it over” and agree. Women’s Minister Susanne Raab also tried to convince: “It is the right concept so that women get their rights and the perpetrators are convicted.”
NEOS give “advance of trust”
Yildirim replied that the law only said that the ministries were allowed to provide funding, but that no minimum standards were specified. It is a matter of “headline politics”.
NEOS MP Henrike Brandstötter also pointed out that the law was “daring”. “For example, we don’t know what budget is available for funding and how the ministries involved want to coordinate or how outpatient clinics will be funded,” she said, citing open points. She called for a comprehensive strategy against violence that had been “promised for a long time.” “How can we stop violent crime and act preventively? To do this, we don’t need laws that come across as empty shells, like the one we are now passing,” said Brandstötter. Nevertheless, they want to agree, among other things because staff should also be trained in forensic medicine to bridge the gap. Forensic experts are needed for documentation; there are currently twelve – “not enough,” she said with conviction. They also want to give a “leap of trust” so that the violence clinics can “get into action”.
The SPÖ did not “think” about it again. The legislative initiative was passed without their votes. (Continuation of the National Council) map
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