‘Violence-free life – for everyone!’ is the title of a nationwide campaign launched by Austrian political parties and enterprises to raise awareness for victims of violence. SPAR Austria joined the initiative at the end of 2019 in the federal state of Salzburg and is now extending its involvement to additional regions. SPAR stores in Salzburg, Styria, and Upper Austria are providing information brochures to those affected. The campaign’s goal is to offer accessible contact points for victims of violence.

Anyone can be confronted with violence, whether it is domestic, gender-based or at the workplace. It affects people of all ages and genders, backgrounds, and cultures. Violence has many faces and can leave victims with physical and emotional wounds. Despite the wide range of violence prevention and victim protection initiatives, it is difficult for many of those affected to find sufficient protection and help.

State Minister of the federal State of Salzburg, Andrea Klambauer, and SPAR Austria CEO Gerhard Drexel have been supporters of the ‘Violence-free life’ initiative right from the beginning. Initially, informative brochures on the subject of violence were made available in 100 SPAR stores in the federal State of Salzburg. “In this way, we can reach a lot of Salzburg residents of all ages and make information easily accessible”, agree Andrea Klambauer and Gerhard Drexel.

In Styria, the campaign was launched in June 2020 and the topic of violence was strongly highlighted in September 2020. In all SPAR stores in Styria, more than 25,000 brochures with contact details for violence protection facilities were provided, while the number of the local violence protection centre was printed on thousands of cash tickets and posters placed instore.

“Violence is not a private matter, it concerns everyone. It is our aim to give as many people as possible a way out”, emphasised the Styrian State Minister of Social Affairs Doris Kampus.

Managing Director of SPAR Styria, Christoph Holzer, said: “SPAR is delighted to support this important topic and raise awareness. We distribute information material to help those affected to find out easily where to get help.”

“Additionally, we have prepared materials for our SPAR employees on topics like life issues and life crises, on violence, challenges for young people, and general problems. In this way, we also offer our employees a wide range of help in crisis situations”, said Christoph Holzer.

After the successful implementation of the campaign in Salzburg and Styria, the province of Upper Austria in cooperation with SPAR Marchtrenk also launched the campaign ‘Violence-free life – for everyone!’ in September 2020. In over 250 SPAR and EUROSPAR stores in Upper Austria, a total of 75,000 information brochures are being distributed to those affected.

“Thanks to our SPAR and EUROSPAR stores, which are well established in the regions, the campaign reaches many Upper Austrians of the most varied of age groups. We hope that many of those affected will find it easier to seek advice and help”, said Jakob Leitner, Managing Director of the SPAR Central Office in Marchtrenk.

Source: SPAR Austria

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About SPAR Austria

The origins of SPAR in Austria date back to 1954, but the current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined with other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company.

With licences granted by SPAR International, ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) has also developed SPAR in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Northern Italy.