By: G. B.
So far, 90 individuals have reached out to the VERA contact point, established last year in Austria to assist victims of harassment and violence in the artistic and cultural sphere. Three-quarters of the reported cases occurred in a professional context, with 75 percent of the affected individuals being women, VERA recently announced.
The most common irregularities were recorded in the theatre sector (24 percent), followed by the music sector (19 percent) and the film sector (12 percent). In many cases, a combination of different types of violence was reported. Structural violence was present in 39 percent of cases. Sexual violence was often reported (36 percent), as well as psychological violence (32 percent). “The review of the first year of the VERA point confirms the need for a specific contact point for the field of arts and culture,” said executive director Clara Gallistl, according to the Austrian news agency APA.
The VERA point was established in Austria based on a resolution of the Austrian Parliament in 2021. Under the auspices of the VERA point, not only does it function as a contact point against abuse of power, harassment, and violence in the arts and culture, but it also houses the association 100% Sport, which advocates for safe sports and sexual awareness. The subsidy for the first year of operation amounted to a total of 350,000 euros.
In this context, the question arises of how much such a contact point would detect sexual violence in the Slovenian cultural and academic sphere, especially in the wake of the Foto Pub affair…