Mild punishment for 21-year-old: woman attacked while sunbathing

Mild punishment for 21-year-old: woman attacked while sunbathing

A 21-year-old man from Syria was recently sentenced to six months in prison for attempted rape, with the remainder of the sentence suspended. The incident, which is alarming for those affected and society, occurred on July 20, 2023 in Vienna-Favoriten. The defendant approached a 21-year-old woman while she was sunbathing and dragged her into a bush, where he threatened her and tried to force sexual contact. Nevertheless, the woman was able to secure important evidence with a cell phone photo of the attacker The press reports.

The victim, who was in a moment of greatest possible threat, screamed loudly and managed to unsettle and drive away the attacker. The judge found that there was enough evidence to support the serious allegations, which the defendant vehemently denied. He claimed that he had only started a conversation, but that did not weaken the burden of proof.

The aftereffects of experienced violence

The psychological consequences of the incident are serious. The victim now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has been unable to leave the house alone since then. This form of PTSD is often the result of extreme stress, such as that which can arise from sexual violence. Symptoms are distressing and often include feelings of anxiety to a complete loss of control Gegen-Missrauch.de reports.

It is estimated that about a third of people who experienced sexual violence in childhood or adolescence will develop severe PTSD over the course of their life. Treating this disease is particularly challenging because those affected often suffer from the consequences for years. A specific form of therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), has been shown to be more effective than traditional cognitive therapy in treating PTSD related to sexual abuse Ärzteblatt reports.

Social responsibility and return of the perpetrator

On a social level, this incident raises questions about safety and the availability of help for those affected. After the man is released from his short prison sentence, he is required to take part in sexual counseling and probation services. This could be a first step towards accountability and rehabilitation. However, the big question remains how those around them and especially the victims can deal with the consequences and what support is necessary to spare others from such experiences.

In a country where safety and protection for every citizen should be the top priority, society must ask itself what lessons can be learned from such cases and how we can better support those affected in dealing with the psychological consequences.