{"id":3693,"date":"2023-02-13T11:03:56","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T11:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/test-ikf.online\/?page_id=3693"},"modified":"2026-03-17T10:08:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T10:08:59","slug":"2021-staerkung-von-aelteren-frauen-gewaltpraevention-durch-aenderung-sozialer-normen-in-serbien-und-oesterreich","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ikf.ac.at\/en\/schwerpunkte\/sicherheit\/gewalt\/2021-staerkung-von-aelteren-frauen-gewaltpraevention-durch-aenderung-sozialer-normen-in-serbien-und-oesterreich","title":{"rendered":"EmPreV \u2013 Empowerment of older women: preventing violence by challenging social norms in Serbia and Austria"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Project team:<\/td>\nBirgitt Haller (project management)
\nHelga Amesberger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Funded by:<\/td>\nEuropean Commission\/Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC) Program
\nthrough Austrian Red Cross<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Partners:<\/td>\nAustrian Red Cross (ARC)
\nCrveni krst Srbije (Red Cross of Serbia)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Completed in:<\/td>\nNovember 2021<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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The aim of the project was to raise awareness of the issue of violence against older women both among Red Cross staff in Austria and Serbia, and among the general population.<\/p>\n

As part of this research project, the Austrian Red Cross (ARC) developed online courses for its staff on how to deal with violence against older women. More than 3,000 people from all over Austria answered an evaluation questionnaire that focused on key areas such as understanding and reacting in violent situations or awareness of legal and internal organizational regulations. While the ARC offered an online course due to Covid 19-related lockdowns, the Serbian sister organization (SRC) stuck to its original plan of training gerontological care workers (\"gerontocarers\") in workshops, a total of 208 people. They also participated in an evaluation of the workshops by means of a questionnaire. This showed that the trained persons lacked important detailed knowledge about violence against older women which is why the Serbian project colleagues suggested internally including the workshop content in the regular training on violence against older people.<\/p>\n

Another focus of the project in both countries was the development and delivery of information workshops for older women by the Red Cross. The target group was women aged 60 or older, who were to be trained to recognize indication for violence against older women. In addition, participants were informed about various service hotlines and support services (in the workshop and through the distribution of cards with phone numbers). In both countries, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire both immediately after the workshop and one month later. Almost all women experienced the workshops as helpful, the majority reported feeling better informed about the issue of violence immediately afterward, and in the follow-up survey one month later, almost all said they still remembered the workshop content. Most respondents would like further training on the topic.<\/p>\n

Finally, both teams conducted 15 qualitative interviews each with workshop participants. Most of them had no prior knowledge of violence against older women, but knew the topic only from television or newspaper reports. When asked what they were most interested in, they often mentioned information about who to contact if they suspected violence, what signs to look for to recognize violent situations, and how to help those affected. During the workshops, such questions had obviously been answered; in the interview, the women stated that they now felt safer in violent situations.<\/p>\n

Further information of the Austrian Red Cross (in German): https:\/\/www.roteskreuz.at\/wien\/ich-brauche-hilfe\/gewalt-gegen-aeltere-frauen <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>