ISEDA Innovative Solutions to Eliminate Domestic Abuse

Tampere University’s unit of social research is developing new approaches to combat domestic violence as part of the Horizon Europe project. ISEDA (Innovative Solutions to Eliminate Domestic Abuse) is a multidisciplinary consortium of experts from nine European countries. The interdisciplinary approach aims to significantly enhance the fight against violence on European level.

ISEDA employs tech-developers specialized in AI-driven solutions, game developers specialized in high-impact games for education, psychologists, psychiatrics, police and security authorities, social and health scientists.

The consortium offers an effective mix of social science methods to develop new technological and social solutions, including multiple structured feedback loops with end-users/stakeholders. The pilot countries test the solutions in operational environments and evaluate them through a scientifically sound methodology developed with academic partners and civil society organization-practitioners working with victims and perpetrators.

Tampere University leads the work package 5 which will produce European wide policy recommendations on the prevention of violence, as well as procedures for reporting and investigating violence based on the results of the project.

Advanced technological and social solutions

Artificial intelligence conversational chatbot will be developed for the use of victims-survivors. The project investigates how the chatbot can be used as a channel for seeking help, preparing for criminal proceedings, and reporting crimes. The pilot countries will provide valuable user experiences for further development. In addition, the project will develop an information system platform that will be used to inform policy makers to aims of policy change. The data platform will provide up-to-date information and statistics on domestic violence in different countries, based on the interactions from the chatbot.

An interactive police training program utilizing serious game design will be developed for the use of police authorities. The digital serious game module uses 3D software to simulate different interaction scenarios with victims. The aim is to improve the assessment of violent incidents and the interaction of the police with those who experience violence. The project will also promote and implement counselling treatment to perpetrators of domestic violence as a chance for positive change, to prevent abuse and reduce recidivism. Such programs have the potential to significantly increase the quality of life of both victim-survivors and perpetrators.

Awareness raising campaigns will be implemented together with educational institutions, students and teachers to raise young people’s awareness of domestic violence and gender-based violence to tackle the problems at an early stage. The project will implement awareness raising campaigns also to inform the public about the different types of domestic violence and ways to prevent, detect and report it. The campaigns will provide information on how to get help and assistance more accessible to victim-survivors through informational guides and brochures, informative posters, and videos.

The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101073922 »https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101073922