Protests as Austria grapples with violence against women

The 35-year-old woman was working at a tobacco shop in Vienna in March when authorities say her ex-boyfriend doused her in gasoline and set her ablaze

VIENNA -- The 35-year-old woman was working at a tobacco shop in Vienna when authorities say her ex-boyfriend doused her in gasoline and set her ablaze in March. In April, another woman the same age was found shot to death in her home in the Austrian capital, also reportedly by her ex-partner. They were the sixth and ninth women to be killed in Austria this year, and five more have followed in the weeks since. That has brought this year’s total so far to 14 slain women, making the Alpine nation one of the few European Union countries where the number of women killed is higher than the number of men. The recent high-profile cases have led to widespread protests, demands for government intervention and condemnations from Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and President Alexander van der Bellen. “Too little is being done to protect women from violence,” van der Bellen said recently after meeting with representatives of women’s shelters and violence prevention organizations.