Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
The housing crisis in Switzerland is becoming increasingly serious, especially for those living in economic insecurity, according to a study.
Meanwhile the government has been criticised for its inaction in the fight against gender-based violence. We also look at the cruise ship company MSC, which has been the victim of a “raid” by hackers, and the alliance between two cult Swiss food brands.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult for welfare recipients in Switzerland to maintain housing, according to the annual report of the Cities Initiative for Social Policy.
Although the rate of people on assistance has remained stable over the past few years in the cities analysed, the housing shortage is increasingly weighing on families in an economically precarious situation, the report warns.
“In addition to financial difficulties, stigmatisation linked to poverty or a criminal record further complicates the search for housing,” Michelle Beyeler, associate professor of political science at the University of Zurich and author of the chapter on housing, said in a statement. These difficulties have repercussions on employment, children’s schooling and social life, she said.
In an attempt to stop this spiral, various municipal social services have implemented specific measures, such as adjusting rental rates or timely financial aid to prevent evictions. But these efforts are reaching their limits.
The protection offered in Switzerland against gender-based violence is insufficient, according to the Istanbul Convention Network.
The government was criticised in particular for not yet having drawn up a binding national strategy, as a result of which access to a safe house, the possibility of a medico-legal examination after a sexual assault or the provision of inclusive sex education are still too dependent on chance.
Other problems can be traced back to funding gaps related to the fragmented federalist system.
However, something is moving. Last week the government said it wanted to expand the offers of help for victims of sexual and domestic violence. It proposed that parliament revise the Federal Act on Aid to Victims of Crime by introducing “improvements in the areas of medical care, medico-legal documentation and accommodation”.
A cyberattack on a maritime security service provider of the Geneva-based cruise ship company MSC highlights the phenomenon of crimes committed on these “floating cities”, writes 24 heures.
Hackers from the Kairos group put sensitive MSC information online on October 10, probably with the aim of blackmailing the company. The data was stolen from the Cypriot company M.S. Security Group, a provider of maritime security services. After a week, the data disappeared, a signal that can be read as a ransom payment, according to 24 heures.
Some documents concern cases of sexual harassment among staff members – one involved the assault of an 11-year-old girl by a crew member. In this case, “no” is all that appears under “law enforcement contacted”.
This leak highlights the opacity of the cruise industry and the difficulties in prosecuting crimes that occur on board, given the need to deal with events that occurred in different jurisdictions if not in international waters.
MSC would not comment on individual cases, but it said the cruise industry is “one of the most tightly regulated and policed in the world” and that it strictly enforces all procedures.
Two cult Swiss food brands – although in this case it would perhaps be more appropriate to speak of addictions – have announced an alliance that will delight many: the Zweifel company will be launching a limited edition of Aromat crisps in December.
It all started on social media, 20Minuten wrote today, when a TikToker generated a huge buzz by suggesting the combination of the two products. This did not escape the notice of Zweifel and Unilever, who produce the spice mix that is a staple on (almost) every Swiss table.
“For once, the idea for a product didn’t come from our innovation department but directly from the consumer,” said Christoph Zweifel, CEO of the crisp company.
Translated from Italian by DeepL/ts
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