New women's refuge in the region of Pinzgau, Salzburg is taking shape

With the joint investment of 1.5 billion euros by the State of Salzburg and the EU, the centre will open in the spring of 2022

State Councillor Andrea Klambauer visited the new women’s shelter, currently under construction in the region of Pinzgau. The building is located in the city of Saalfelden and is set to be open in the spring of 2022. In addition to the six apartments, common rooms and workrooms, the building will feature a garden.

The new shelter is being built from scratch and will cost around 1.5 million euros, with half of the bill being covered by the State of Salzburg, and half by EU funds.

Get help if you need it, it is important

A women's shelter, women's refuge, battered women's shelter, these are all terms used to describe a place of temporary protection and support for women fleeing domestic violence of all forms. The terms are also frequently used when referring to a location for the same purpose that is open to people of both genders.

Many of the women that end up in these shelters are running from a dangerous environment with their children. In fact, physical and psychological threats to children can often be the reason people decide to look for help in the first place.

This is why the news that the new building will have individual apartments, equipped with kitchens and bathrooms is very welcome. The availability of enough living space can be very positive for the mental health of the future residents, as they attempt to regain a sense of normality and plan for the future.  

The Pinzgau Women’s Refuge Centre or Frauenhaus Pinzgau is a non-profit organisation that opened its first shelter back in 1997. It offered a refuge for children and women who have experienced violence. In 1998, they opened a hotline so that admission to the refuge centre was guaranteed 24/7.

According to the data they provide, since their foundation, until the year 2010, they have helped 304 women and 314 children. In the same period, a total of 848 women have accepted medical help, and they have received more than 5500 emergency calls.

State Councillor Andrea Klambauer emphasised that: “Every woman will live with her children in their own apartment. Cramped conditions will then be a thing of the past. The result is a women's refuge, which, with intensive advice and support, enables the way to an independent life.”