Woman threatened with knife by husband in Vienna-Döbling – police quickly on site!

Woman threatened with knife by husband in Vienna-Döbling – police quickly on site!

Last Saturday afternoon there was a worrying incident in Vienna-Döbling: a 48-year-old woman was threatened with a kitchen knife by her 45-year-old husband. According to the investigation, the man behaved aggressively, which caused the woman to flee into a room and call the police emergency number. The officers from the Nußdorfer Platz police station quickly arrived on site and arrested the suspect with the support of WEGA. The knife was seized, but the 45-year-old did not confess during his interrogation. The wife decided to exercise her right to refuse to testify.

After the incident, the man was immediately banned from entering and approaching the building, as well as a temporary weapons ban. On the orders of the Vienna public prosecutor's office, the suspect was reported at large, which seems questionable to some observers. Violence against women remains a serious and burning issue in Austria, and many victim support organizations are under pressure to provide the women affected with the necessary support.

Domestic violence and its consequences

The case in Döbling is not isolated. Domestic violence affects many people in Austria and can occur in different forms. Statistics show that these acts often occur between people who are closely related to each other, such as partners or ex-partners ( bmfwf.gv.at ). Violence in a shared household remains a relevant social problem that is often difficult to address.

The first Violence Protection Act came into force in 1997 and is intended to offer legal protection to victims of domestic violence. The protective measures include, among other things, the entry ban, which allows expulsion from the apartment for a maximum of two weeks, as well as the approach ban, which prohibits the perpetrators from approaching the victim ( bmfwf.gv.at ). Failure to comply with these bans can result in heavy fines.

Offers of help for those affected

The Vienna police advise victims of violence to seek help immediately. There are numerous offers of support, including the crime prevention hotline of the Vienna State Criminal Police Office (0800 216346) and the women's helpline (0800 222 555). The Violence Protection Center is also available to offer help in the form of safety plans, legal advice and psychosocial support. Other emergency numbers include the victims' emergency number (0800 112 112) and the emergency number of the Vienna Women's Shelter Association (05 77 22).

In a similarly tragic incident in Vienna-Leopoldstadt in September 2024, a 49-year-old woman was threatened with a kitchen knife by her drunken partner. Jealousy due to a phone call presumably from the victim's environment was the trigger for the threat ( 5min.at ). Here, too, the police immediately took action, including a ban on approaching and entering the building.

Incidents of this kind highlight the need for society to fully address the issues of domestic violence and support for victims. Any sign of violence should be taken seriously. Austria has the means and institutions to help, but raising awareness and openness to such issues is essential.

At this point, it is important that we all look out for each other and seek the help that is needed. Because in the end it's about protecting people's lives.