Accompanying evaluation of the national prevention campaign against domestic, sexualised and gender-based violence

A clear majority of 85 per cent of the population considers equality to be very or somewhat important for the future of society. The issue is personally relevant to 63 per cent. Young women between the ages of 16 and 39 in particular attach great importance to it (70 per cent). Among men of the same age, the figure is 57 per cent – also a majority, albeit significantly lower.

More than half of those surveyed (56 per cent) see the greatest need for action in the area of equality in the workplace. This is followed by the compatibility of work and family life (44 per cent) and discrimination based on origin or skin colour (35 per cent). Around 30 per cent recognise an urgent need for action on gender-based violence – a finding that underlines the aim of the national prevention campaign.

Domestic, sexualised and gender-based violence is perceived by the population much more as a social problem than a personal one. This suggests that violence is seen as a structural problem, but one that primarily affects ‘others’.

Behaviour that crosses boundaries is clearly rejected by the majority. In particular, sending intimate messages without consent is almost unanimously considered unacceptable (95 per cent of women, 91 per cent of men). Women are consistently more critical of boundary violations than men.

Just under half of those surveyed (47 per cent) say they do not know anyone who has been affected by domestic, sexual or gender-based violence. At the same time, 30 per cent report that there are victims among their friends or family. Among young women, this proportion is significantly higher at 42 per cent. Around one-fifth of the population (22 per cent) has also witnessed violent situations in public spaces, such as on the street or when going out. Nineteen per cent of young women and 4 per cent of young men report having experienced violence themselves.

Extrapolated to the total population, psychological violence is the most common form of violence, at 7 per cent, followed by physical violence, sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Almost half of those affected (47%) remain inactive in cases of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence out of concern that intervention could exacerbate the situation. In addition, 31 per cent say they either did not know who to turn to or did not take the incident seriously enough at the time. Furthermore, almost a quarter (22 per cent) are unsure whether what they experienced can even be considered violence. These results show that uncertainty and a lack of information are key obstacles to taking action.

A large majority of the population (88 per cent) is convinced that violence occurs less frequently when people learn to talk about feelings and boundaries at an early age. Two-thirds (66 per cent) also see gender equality as an important protective factor against violence.

At the same time, stereotypical patterns of thinking continue to prevail. Six out of ten people (60 per cent) believe that suggestive behaviour or clothing can trigger boundary violations, and a quarter believe that traditional role models contribute to fewer conflicts. Such ideas illustrate that outdated gender stereotypes are still widespread.