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The lower the level of education, the more violence young people in Austria experience. And almost one in three people say that “a healthy bundle doesn’t hurt.” This is shown by a survey carried out by the Research Institute on Youth Culture among young people aged 14 to 18 on behalf of the Ombudsman for Children and Youth (KiJA). “In the middle of the field investigation, however, the blockade hit us,” said study leader Bernhard Heinzlmaier at the press conference in Linz. “The need for security and stability of young people is generally great, but Corona has reinforced the trend.” The home is experiencing a renaissance for young people and Austria will once again be “my country that gives me security”.
Upper Austrian youth lawyer Christine Winkler-Kirchberger explained how the confinement affected the experience of violence. The older ones had reported more, but many would only move now. “But we can already see that the girls in particular have suffered a lot from the pressure at home.” It is also “alarming” for Winkler-Kirchberger that 29 percent of young people agree with the statement “a healthy bundle has not harmed a child.” 24 percent of those surveyed said they had already received a slap from their parents.
However, experiences of violence are much more common than at home, at events, on the Internet, and at school. 13 percent said there was frequent bullying in their school, another 44 percent face the problem at least occasionally.
Bullying by teachers
In addition to psychological violence among their peers, questions related to teachers were also asked: eight percent said that teacher bullying occurs frequently, and another 27 percent perceive it at least once in a while. Evidence is often an issue here because a teacher’s testimony is given more weight than that of students, said Tyrolean youth lawyer Elisabeth Harasser. And parents often did nothing for fear of the consequences for their children. The result is often psychosomatic complaints ranging from headaches to school refusal. Therefore, Harasser wants the handling of bullying to be better anchored in teacher training.
In addition, in the fight against violence, child and youth advocates are demanding more education and information, as well as more low-threshold counseling services. “And we also appeal to society: let’s look at our children together,” said youth attorney Christine Winkler-Kirchberger. (had)
