Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IMPROVE (Improving Access to Services for Victims of Domestic Violence by Accelerating Change in Frontline Responder Organisations)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-04-01 al 2025-09-30
Domestic violence and violence in close relationships still persist as serious forms of violence and crime in Europe. In the field of prevention and fight against DV and GBV, the EU regards the Istanbul Convention as the benchmark for international standards. Victims of DV should have an easy and secure access to justice and necessary services, assistance and support.
IMPROVE aimed to increase DV reporting and improve access to DV services for under-served, marginalised victims, by providing a novel entry point to existing frontline responder (FLR) networks by means of an effective conversational AI Chatbot which has been piloted and validated in RP2 (WP2).
To complement the service provision for under-served, marginalised victims, IMPROVE has also aimed at improving the work performed by the practitioners alike. To improve multi-agency DV responses for underserved populations by fostering capacity building of FLRs through scalable, low-threshold, targeted training, raising mutual understanding and bridging sectoral divides (WP3), IMPROVE developed training modules with respect to professions addressed, languages available, and content included. IMPROVE’s multi-agency approach encompasses key sectors crucial for effective DV management. These efforts are published in the European Training Platform on Domestic Violence.
Furthermore, IMPROVE aimed to accelerate DV policy implementation using a validated common approach for FLR organisations and policy makers to reinforce and exploit existing solutions and enablers, while removing barriers to change and overcoming organisational inertia. IMPROVE has planned to achieve this objective, through problem analysis and solution development: The specific work steps comprised of empirical qualitative research identifying existing challenges as well as positive change factors within DV public policy and FLP organisations and the development of organisational decision support tools spanning across two Work Packages (WP1, WP4) and summarising all research efforts in the handbook “Building better responses to domestic violence”.
Complementing all efforts and goals of IMPROVE, it is the overarching and integrating objective to raise awareness among, and empower, underserved European populations to access existing DV services, while increasing FLR organisations’ and policy makers’ knowledge and awareness of underserved populations’ needs. Accordingly, WP5 draws from the research findings, as well as the development of technical and organisational solutions as well as capacity building materials to inform its strategy and messaging. In that, its achievement is linked to the progress of the work done in all WPs.
IMPROVE aimed to increase DV reporting and improve access to DV services for under-served, marginalised victims, by providing a novel entry point to existing frontline responder (FLR) networks by means of an effective conversational AI Chatbot which has been piloted and validated in RP2 (WP2).
To complement the service provision for under-served, marginalised victims, IMPROVE has also aimed at improving the work performed by the practitioners alike. To improve multi-agency DV responses for underserved populations by fostering capacity building of FLRs through scalable, low-threshold, targeted training, raising mutual understanding and bridging sectoral divides (WP3), IMPROVE developed training modules with respect to professions addressed, languages available, and content included. IMPROVE’s multi-agency approach encompasses key sectors crucial for effective DV management. These efforts are published in the European Training Platform on Domestic Violence.
Furthermore, IMPROVE aimed to accelerate DV policy implementation using a validated common approach for FLR organisations and policy makers to reinforce and exploit existing solutions and enablers, while removing barriers to change and overcoming organisational inertia. IMPROVE has planned to achieve this objective, through problem analysis and solution development: The specific work steps comprised of empirical qualitative research identifying existing challenges as well as positive change factors within DV public policy and FLP organisations and the development of organisational decision support tools spanning across two Work Packages (WP1, WP4) and summarising all research efforts in the handbook “Building better responses to domestic violence”.
Complementing all efforts and goals of IMPROVE, it is the overarching and integrating objective to raise awareness among, and empower, underserved European populations to access existing DV services, while increasing FLR organisations’ and policy makers’ knowledge and awareness of underserved populations’ needs. Accordingly, WP5 draws from the research findings, as well as the development of technical and organisational solutions as well as capacity building materials to inform its strategy and messaging. In that, its achievement is linked to the progress of the work done in all WPs.
Building on the knowledge -on internal and external impediments to DV survivors’ help seeking, as well as existing gaps in service provision- gained during RP1 in WP1, WE’s therapists and IT specialists developed the initial functional AI tool prototype for Proof
of Concept (T.2.3) which was piloted, tested and constantly revised in the five partner countries Austria, Finland, La Reunion, Germany and Spain (T.2.4 T2.5). The functional AI tool prototype pilot testing report outlines the tool's overall functionality and testing results.
Against the background of the systemic and structural barriers experienced by victim-survivors identified in WP1 (accessibility, quality of service, operational and procedural gaps), the training materials, training exercises and recommendations of the IMPROVE training platform has been developed containing content for all IMPROVE countries and the four sectors under study (T3.3). Through collaborative efforts WWU, IMPROVE partners and stakeholders designed innovative training formats and optimised existing tools to empower FLRs in combating DV and facilitating victim-survivors’ access to essential services and justice. Moreover, the platform has undergone evaluation by practitioners, experts and stakeholders and respective changes have been implemented (T3.4). The combined insights on how to utilise the platform best has led to a method-based handbook for train-the-trainers T3.5).
A typology of improvement paths for FLR organisations with respect to implementing international policies and standards identifying positive change factors as well as specific good practices in victim support systems identified in the partner countries was developed (T4.1). Incorporating this and additional knowledge gained from the various steps, the project has taken before, a handbook on “Building better responses to domestic violence” has been drafted focussing on best practice- and evidence-based policy implementation and decision making by DV policy makers and managers of FLR organisations (T4.2 T4.3). In T4.4 this handbook has undergone internal and external evaluation and respective revision.
of Concept (T.2.3) which was piloted, tested and constantly revised in the five partner countries Austria, Finland, La Reunion, Germany and Spain (T.2.4 T2.5). The functional AI tool prototype pilot testing report outlines the tool's overall functionality and testing results.
Against the background of the systemic and structural barriers experienced by victim-survivors identified in WP1 (accessibility, quality of service, operational and procedural gaps), the training materials, training exercises and recommendations of the IMPROVE training platform has been developed containing content for all IMPROVE countries and the four sectors under study (T3.3). Through collaborative efforts WWU, IMPROVE partners and stakeholders designed innovative training formats and optimised existing tools to empower FLRs in combating DV and facilitating victim-survivors’ access to essential services and justice. Moreover, the platform has undergone evaluation by practitioners, experts and stakeholders and respective changes have been implemented (T3.4). The combined insights on how to utilise the platform best has led to a method-based handbook for train-the-trainers T3.5).
A typology of improvement paths for FLR organisations with respect to implementing international policies and standards identifying positive change factors as well as specific good practices in victim support systems identified in the partner countries was developed (T4.1). Incorporating this and additional knowledge gained from the various steps, the project has taken before, a handbook on “Building better responses to domestic violence” has been drafted focussing on best practice- and evidence-based policy implementation and decision making by DV policy makers and managers of FLR organisations (T4.2 T4.3). In T4.4 this handbook has undergone internal and external evaluation and respective revision.
Research and output by the IMPROVE project improved and still improve the awareness and access to services of DV survivors as well as the decision-making, cooperation and performance of FLR ecosystems. The tools and materials developed in IMPROVE are continuously utilised for empowering survivors, training and educating FLRs and students of the police, medical, social and legal sector. IMPROVE results have been presented at many occasions at local, national and international level. After the end of IMPROVE, communities and media outlets invite Consortium members for presentations and expert opinions basing on IMPROVE research to learn about IMPROVE’s main results: the AinoAidTM chatbot, the IMPROVE training platform, the WP4 handbook “Building Better Responses to Domestic Violence” and the IMPROVE campaigns. As result beyond the state of the art, AinoAid™ has been accessed over 30,000 times (KPI’s exceeded) and been acknowledged with the SIA award. Its impact will continue due to funding by the CERV-project REACH. Nonetheless, it would be beneficial, if long-term funding under the roof of the EU could be secured. Parts of IMPROVE training platform have been awarded with the Wrigley Prophylaxis Prize 2024 and it will be updated beyond IMPROVE by the VIPROM project. Building on the platform, a university degree on domestic violence has been implemented in Reunion. The Clothesline campaign will to be shown after the IMPROVE end at two more places (Athens and Ravensburg) further raising awareness among the general public. Naturally, it needs activists to continue this work. IMPROVE has been acknowledged widely and has ignited further collaboration between IMPROVE partners and stakeholders after its end.