How Austria's fight against violence toward women evolved over 30 years

Thirty years ago, Christian Scambor co-founded a men's counselling service in Graz to address violence against women. At the time, such abuse was often seen as a private matter, rarely discussed in public. Today, the issue is widely recognised as a societal problem, with growing awareness and legal reforms shaping the conversation.

When the counselling centre opened in 1994, violence against women remained largely hidden. Campaigns like Nie wieder Schweigen (Never Silent Again), the #MeToo movement in 2017, and media coverage gradually shifted perceptions. Legal changes, including the 1997 Gewaltschutzgesetz (Protection Against Violence Act) and its 2019 expansion, reinforced this shift. Reported cases rose from around 10,000 in 1995 to over 25,000 in 2023.

Scambor's work extends beyond counselling. He leads national and EU projects on men's studies and gender equality. His team now supports around 2,000 men annually in Styria and Burgenland alone. Many of these men struggle with emotional control and managing anger. Research shows that violence against women is not always linked to mental illness. For some men, it stems from ingrained ideals of power and dominance. Toxic masculinity—where aggression is normalised—plays a key role. Scambor emphasises that understanding these drives is crucial for prevention. The biggest change, he notes, is not in the violence itself but in society's willingness to confront it.

The counselling service's three decades of work reflect a broader transformation. What was once ignored is now openly debated, with stronger laws and support systems in place. Yet challenges remain, particularly in reshaping harmful male stereotypes and improving early intervention for perpetrators.