The new IMPROVE Project newsletter is available for download now. It offers an overview of the project developments, including Kick-off meeting, website, news, and upcoming events!

Read our first project newsletter HERE

This brief compiles data and expert interviews on the impact of Covid-19 measures on domestic violence (DV) in eight European Member States during the first lockdown. It addresses the ongoing situation, complicated by renewed lockdowns in late 2020. The brief assesses the assumptions of a DV surge against reliable data from crime statistics, surveys, and DV response institutions. Partner reports from Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Scotland, and Slovenia demonstrate the effects of lockdown measures on reported DV incidents. It considers country-specific differences in policing, legal systems, and cultural factors, highlighting best practices to prevent Covid-19 lockdowns from undermining victims' security and responders' capacities.

This paper presents the introduction and evaluation of a clinical elective course on domestic violence (DV) designed to enhance medical students' knowledge and skills. The results of the IMPRODOVA training platform, piloted at the University of Muenster in 2020, highlight the importance of integrating specialized DV training into medical curricula to better equip future healthcare professionals in identifying and supporting DV victims, thus improving patient care and outcomes.

Our project coordinator, Joachim Kersten, talked about the IMPROVE and IMPRODOVA projects during this conference.

This manual for dealing with domestic violence (85 pages) was printed in 20,000 copies and sent to all units of the national police and gendarmerie in 2022. This mailing was accompanied by 15,000 cubes to be placed on the reception desks of units and on the desks of investigators to better inform victims.