Six and a half years in prison: rapist of a 17-year-old convicted!

Six and a half years in prison: rapist of a 17-year-old convicted!

A shocking crime shook Vienna: A 27-year-old Afghan citizen was sentenced to six and a half years in prison at the regional court. The reason? The rape of a 17-year-old on the night of May 4, 2025 in Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus. This frightening act occurred when the victim was on her way home from a party when the man approached her and reacted aggressively after she rejected his question about sexual intercourse. The defendant, who came to Austria in 2015 and had previously had a clean record, appeared unreasonable during the trial and stated that he could not remember the crime because of his cocaine consumption.

The shocking details suggest a devastating use of violence. The perpetrator held the teenager in a headlock, choked her and dragged her behind a parked vehicle. There he threatened to kill her if she defended herself or called for help. These brutal attacks are not an isolated incident. The 17-year-old, whose statements were discussed in camera, received 5,000 euros in compensation in recognition of the injustice she suffered.

The reaction of the judiciary and society

What happens next? The verdict is not yet final. The defense attorney asked for time to think about it, and the prosecutor has already filed an appeal against the sentence. This raises the question: To what extent is violence against women taken seriously in our society? The results of a recent survey on gender-based violence show that such incidents disproportionately affect women. This interacts not only with intimate relationships, but also in public spaces.

The survey, commissioned by Eurostat and the Federal Chancellery, provides alarming information about victims of violence and complements judicial and police crime statistics. Comprehensive action against gender-based violence is being called for in the European Union. The “Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025” aims to systematize closed data on violence against women.

A social challenge

Although the trial and verdict may seem like a step in the right direction to many, it is important to understand that this case is part of a much larger problem. Violence against women is not only characterized by personal crimes, but is also a central social challenge. Violence against women often happens behind closed doors and is rarely sufficiently discussed in public.

It remains to be hoped that cases like this not only have consequences for those affected, but also trigger a rethink in society. Creating a safe environment for all women should be a top priority. Every offense, every look and every trivialization must be suppressed so that such incidents repeat themselves in the future.

For further information on this topic, the comprehensive survey on violent crime against women is available. It can be found on the websites of Puls24, ORF Wien and [Statistik Austria].