Emanuel Tananau Blumenschein, VICESSE
Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?
I have been with VICESSE since 2019, where I have been working as a researcher on various projects. They’ve ranged from research into financial crimes to fatherhood in prison. My educational background lies in political science and Chinese studies, where I focused on participation in authoritarian regimes. This all seems might seem like an odd mix, but I have long since had a genuine fascination with how societies include and marginalise when choosing who to police and whom to support. This is also a question at the centre of IMPROVE, where we try to look at those victims, who don’t get adequate help.
Could you describe your role in the IMPROVE project? (Your role as a researcher/project member)
I am working on a number of research tasks. First and foremost, leading Task 1.2, in which we work with victims to recreate victims’ mental map of institutional responses to domestic violence; as well as Task 4.1,
which will create an inventory of available solutions. This means that I am given a wide variety of tasks. This includes reading up on available literature on domestic violence, conducting interviews with victims and experts, and helping partners with their work.
f you could get three wishes related to IMPROVE come true, what would those three be?
This is a difficult one. If I must remain realistic, I think it would be the following three:
Firstly, it’s important to help those victims get support who have long been denied adequate help. The existing literature so far has highlighted an egregious lack of support for certain groups of victims.
Secondly, I’d appreciate it if we managed to help frontline responders with their efforts, either by helping them network or by shining a light on them.
Thirdly, I do hope that everyone helping us with the project derives benefit from our work. From the victims that come forward to speak with us, the professionals sharing their expertise, to the policymakers willing to help; all their contributions are invaluable to this project.
“It’s important to help those victims get support who have long been denied adequate help!”
“I have long since had a genuine fascination with how societies include and marginalise when choosing who to police and whom to support.”
