A grim 24-hour period in Vienna sees the tragic deaths of four women and a teenage girl, prompting a thorough investigation by local authorities. Three women meet a fatal end at the hands of a man in a brothel in Austria’s capital, with the perpetrator swiftly apprehended. Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, another woman and her daughter fall victim to violence, suspected to be at the hands of the girl’s father.
Describing the day as “Black Friday,” advocates rally for urgent measures to curb violence against women. The discovery of three women’s bodies in the central Brigittenau district sparks alarm, leading to the arrest of a 27-year-old Afghan national found nearby, armed with a knife. While the motive behind the killings remains unclear, authorities interrogate the suspect to shed light on the tragic events.
In a separate incident, a 51-year-old woman and her 13-year-old daughter are found deceased in an Erdberg apartment, approximately 12km away. Despite the geographical proximity, investigators assert there is no evidence linking the two cases. Authorities continue their search for the woman’s husband and the girl’s father, suspected of involvement in their deaths through strangulation or choking.
Philip Hasslinger, a police spokesperson, discloses that initial findings point to blunt force trauma in the Erdberg case, prompting heightened concern over the prevalence of gender-based violence. Eva-Maria Holzleitner, from the opposition Social Democratic Party (SPO), urges swift governmental action, calling for a crisis meeting to address femicide. She emphasizes the urgency of implementing a national action plan to safeguard women’s lives in Austria.
Echoing these sentiments, Klaudia Frieben of the Austrian Women’s Ring (OFR) emphasizes the significance of the day, lamenting the loss of five women and underscoring the need for immediate and comprehensive measures to combat gender-based violence.
