Alicja Switon

Alicja Świtoń is the Director of the Association of Austrian Autonomous Women’s Shelters – a network association of 16 women’s shelters in Austria, which also operates the national women’s helpline against violence 0800222555 and the helpchat for women and girls www.haltdergewalt.at. The Association is a home for the Information Centre against Violence, it coordinates nationally the neighbourhood prevention project StoP Stadtteile ohne Partnergewalt (Neighbourhoods without partner violence) and the Empowerment Centre “Bakhti” in Vienna. Alicja is an expert in the area of violence against women and gender-based violence and an activist in the field.

Violence against women is a deeply rooted societal issue arising from unequal patriarchal power relations between genders. Achieving gender equality is, therefore, essential for preventing violence against women.

photo ©AlicjaŚwitoń