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VIOLENCE

Poll reveals worrying attitudes to rape in Austria

Alarming attitudes about sexual consent in Austria have been highlighted in a new Eurobarometer poll.

Poll reveals worrying attitudes to rape in Austria
Image: UNRICTrine Sejthen

According to the results of the study on gender-based violence, 38 percent of Austrians believe that non-consensual sex is “justifiable” in certain situations. 

The survey asked if non-consensual sex was OK if women were intoxicated, wore revealing clothes, had agreed to go home with someone, or did not physically resist. 

50 percent of Austrians who responded to the survey (1,016), said that sexual violence against one’s partner is not wrong, or illegal.

The report was published to mark International Day to End Violence Against Women.

Austrians also seem to think it’s OK for men to make sexist remarks about women in public. Only seven percent said that they found such behaviour wrong and only 37 percent said that they think it’s wrong and against the law to harass women in the workplace.

The survey also asked whether victims of gender-based violence are themselves to blame. Almost one in four Austrians (23 percent) agreed with this statement, saying that women are often the ones at fault when they are the victims of violence.

Sweden had the most enlightened attitude, according to the poll, with 83 percent of respondents there saying that sexual violence against a partner is wrong and illegal. Lithuania had the worst attitudes to gender-based violence, with only 12 percent of respondents saying that sexual violence is wrong.