Verein Autonome Österreichische Frauenhäuser (Verein AÖF) is the umbrella organization for 16 autonomous women's shelters in Austria. Established in 1988, the Verein AÖF serves as a hub for information, support, and representation for its members. They are feminist, critical, activist, preventive, informative, and non-partisan, but advocate for women and children affected by violence.

In addition to supporting the women's shelters, the Verein AÖF also houses five pillars of violence prevention. The Information Center against Violence facilitates networking and exchange among Austrian women's shelters and raises awareness about domestic violence. The Women's Helpline 0800 222 555 provides round-the-clock, multilingual, and anonymous support for survivors of domestic violence.

The online counseling service HelpChat - Halt der Gewalt offers assistance for women and girls affected by violence. StoP - Stadtteile ohne Partnergewalt is a violence prevention project that encourages neighbors to show solidarity and intervene in cases of partner violence. Lastly, the newly opened BAKHTI Center empowers girls and young women who have experienced violence through workshops, counseling, and creative activities.

The Verein AÖF is also a member of WAVE - Women Against Violence Europe, a European network dedicated to combating violence against women. Note: The description above represents the beginning and some selected paragraphs from the HTML-scraped text