Training module/Serious game

Context

Training programs across Europe present a number of issues. They vary considerably in quality and frequency of implementation between countries and regions. It is still unclear how well theory translates to practice and how exactly the skills of interviewers can be improved through time and cost-efficient training programs. Importantly, women often report negative experiences when reporting to police authorities.

What solutions (including stakeholders) has ISEDA developed?

Relying on existing resources for police training on domestic violence, ISEDA has developed an innovative hybrid and modular training meant to complement existing initiatives to foster behavioural change. In-person modules emphasize experiential training, deconstructing existing stereotypes and misconceptions around domestic abuse. A serious game module, the first of its kind to focus on victim interaction in a virtual format, has been developed to train officers in the interview process and in reading body language.

What are the objectives and targets?

ISEDA has developed, tested, and evaluated this training module and its serious game on three pilot sites in Greece, Bulgaria, and Catalonia (Spain). The project has assessed the learning outcomes of the serious game and updated it accordingly, in addition to the in-person modules. ISEDA has also produced a training curriculum, its evaluation methodology, and a Train-the-Trainers Manual to facilitate its implementation. Approximately 300 police officers are expected to have completed the training at the end of the project, with an average rate of 60% in knowledge improvement and 90% acceptance/adherence rate.

Chatbot

Context

One of the objectives of the ISEDA project is to offer a platform, which is able to provide answers to questions which people (victims, potential victims or third parties) may have about the different aspects of domestic violence. The questions can be generic or specific to the person’s context.

What solutions (including stakeholders) did ISEDA developed?

The chatbot solution allows users to get answers to both generic and specific questions. The chatbot can also take into account the context of how it’s being used (date, place of access), as well as situational information. The solution (based on ALIVE INTELLIGENCE from Sopra Steria) has been developed in a holistic way and in close cooperation with ISEDA partners (police authorities, researchers, NGOs and CSOs working with victims, etc.) in order to assure appropriate support to victims of domestic violence.

What are the objectives and targets?

The objective is to test the use of the chatbot solution in three geographical areas (Catalonia-Spain, Greece and Bulgaria) in order to identify habits and constraints when helping victims of domestic violence and to propose a model, which can be replicated in other European countries.

Perpetrator programmes

Context

Perpetrator programmes offer counselling treatment to perpetrators of domestic violence as a chance for positive change, to prevent abuse and reduce recidivism. Across Europe, perpetrator programmes vary in scope, and are inevitably adapted to the national legal frameworks on domestic violence of their countries. As perpetrator programme evaluations use different methodology designs to measure outcomes, it is often difficult to understand their impact.

What solutions (including stakeholders) has ISEDA developed?

The lack of a standardised evaluation approach for perpetrator programmes makes it difficult to compare results and conclude which programmes are effective and for whom. ISEDA has addressed this challenge by applying the IMPACT toolkit, a standardised tool to evaluate three different perpetrator programmes. To effectively evaluate the programmes using the Toolkit, local teams have been trained by WWP. This has enabled programmes to ascertain what works for whom in what circumstances.

What are the objectives and targets?

Three perpetrator programmes located in Cyprus, Bulgaria and Italy have been evaluated using the IMPACT Toolkit. The programmes has reached 175 perpetrators, plus their victims. It is expected that as a result of the ISEDA project, by 2027 the IMPACT toolkit will be adopted by 10 perpetrator programmes outside of the consortium.

Awareness raising and Education programs

Context

The ISEDA project has developed local awareness raising campaigns in order to sensitize the general public and key stakeholders on the issue of domestic violence, but also spread information on ways to get help and assistance to support victims. Education programs have sensitized teachers and students, fostering understanding and knowledge from an early age, as well as zero tolerance to violence.

What solutions (including stakeholders) will ISEDA bring?

Short videos, posters and social media campaigns focused on national domestic violence challenges have been employed to improve awareness. Teachers and young people have enhanced their understanding on the different forms of gender-based violence through training for the former, who have then delivered the program to the latter following a cascading model, in addition to a national essay competition for students.

What are the objectives and targets?

The awareness raising and education programs have aimed at developing knowledge, understanding, and sensitization on domestic violence among the general public and stakeholders in the 7 countries where they have been implemented. They have been made available in local languages and key messages have been translated in English. By the end of the project, 225 teachers are expected to be trained on how to deliver the gender-based violence education programs, while 665 students are expected to complete them.

Follower territories

Their role

The Follower territories are the countries of the consortium (apart from the Pilot Site countries – BG, GR, ES), where ISEDA solutions are likely to be adopted after the project’s lifetime, specifically IT, CY, FI and Scotland-UK. Partners in the Follower territories have conducted preparatory actions throughout the project and paved the way for rollout of the technological solutions after the project’s end.

Its role

The European Community of Practice represents countries (ex. police authorities, CSOs, policymakers), other than the Pilot Sites, Follower Territories included, who are interested in becoming early-adopters of ISEDA solutions. The members of the CoP have participated in at least 4 meetings to leverage knowledge, resources and best practices on preventing and investigating domestic violence, as well as to provide structured feedback on ISEDA solutions to the consortium. The CoP has been consulted again in the context of a study for European common approaches to domestic violence and  mobilized during communication and dissemination activities, to ensure the widest possible reach of ISEDA results, with 10 police authorities and 100 policymakers involved.

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