Vienna study links gender violence to higher female suicide rates

A research team at the Medical University of Vienna analyzed national data from 37 European countries using the Violence against Women Index (VAWI) and found a significant association between higher levels of gender‑based violence and increased female suicide rates. Countries with VAWI scores above the mid‑range, such as Moldova (0.292), showed suicide rates up to 8.54 per 100,000 women, while low‑VAWI nations like Norway (0.035) had rates as low as 1.24 per 100,000. The study, published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, controlled for GDP per capita, unemployment, health‑care and crime indicators.

In parallel, activists in Vienna are organizing a public “Walk of Shame” on 7 August 2026 to confront male violence. The performance, demo and press conference on Kärntner Straße are led by the NGO StoP and feminist advocate Gisèle Pelicot, urging men to bear responsibility for femicide and everyday abuse. Organizers cite 15 femicides in Austria in 2026 and note that one‑third of women over age 15 experience physical or sexual violence.

Both the study and the protest aim to raise awareness and drive policy action on gender‑based violence in Austria and across Europe.