Austrian women's shelters launch campaign for violence helpline

The Autonome Österreichische Frauenhäuser (AÖF) and the advertising company Gewista have launched a nationwide campaign titled ‘Lieber ein Anruf mehr!’ to promote the women's helpline against violence in Austria.

The initiative aims to lower the threshold for victims and their relatives to seek help by placing the helpline's contact information prominently in public spaces, such as digital screens in subway stations. The helpline (0800 222 555) provides free, anonymous, and confidential counseling 24/7.

Gewista is providing digital advertising space free of charge to support the cause. According to Gewista CEO Franz Solta, the campaign has already led to a noticeable increase in calls compared to the previous year. Austrian Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner participated in the campaign's presentation, expressing support for the initiative following recent reports of femicides in Graz and Wels.