The University of Brescia is one of the partners in the European project “I-Cope - Protecting the vulnerable: developing an integrated approach to countering intimate partner violence in obstetric populations in Denmark and Italy.” The aim of the research - funded by the European Commission under the Cerv-Daphne 2024 program - is to combat domestic violence during the most delicate stages of family life, such as pregnancy and postpartum.
The phenomenon of partner violence is a serious and complex problem, which becomes even more significant during pregnancy and the perinatal period. According to Istat, in Italy 10% of women suffer violence from their partner during pregnancy and, in over 70% of cases, the intensity of the aggression increases during this period; in 6% of cases, the episodes begin for the first time during pregnancy. Globally, research by the World Health Organization indicates that approximately one in four women experiences violence during pregnancy. The most common forms include psychological (26%), physical (10%), and sexual (9%) violence.
To help combat this phenomenon, I-Cope aims to develop innovative tools for prevention, identification, and intervention, with a particular focus on gender differences.
The two-year project involves Italian and Danish universities and research centers, including the University of Southern Denmark, the Department of Surgical, Odontostomatological, and Maternal-Child Sciences at the University of Verona, the Integrated University Hospital of Verona, the Danish Stalking Center, the Dialogue Against Violence Association, and the University of Brescia.
As part of the project, the research group at the University of Brescia, led by Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology Paola Manfredi, will focus in particular on identifying risk factors for IPV (intimate partner violence) and suitable tools for screening abusers. We believe this is a fundamental step forward for both victims and perpetrators of violence.
For this work, a scoping review was initiated, registering a protocol in OSF that covered various strings, in particular current risk aspects such as inadequate anger management, hostility, control, substance abuse, dangerous masculinity, couple conflicts, and remote risk factors, such as traumatic experiences, child abuse, and exposure to violence. With the collaboration of Dr. Giovanni Bianchini, librarian at the University of Brescia, 10,242 articles were extracted from various databases. Following the analysis of the scientific literature, a screening program will be prepared. In the Brescia area, the tools will be administered thanks to the collaboration with the Brescia District Criminal Enforcement Office, Department of Juvenile and Community Justice of the Ministry of Justice (Prison Director Dr. Benedetta Venezia).
The I-COPE project officially kicked off in June with a kick-off meeting in the Danish town of Odense, during which the teams from the two countries shared their research and intervention plans.
The planned actions include reviewing current detection tools, adapting them to local contexts, and developing a screening program to identify the risk of IPV in the early stages of family life. The objective is twofold: to provide concrete tools to help and protect victims and to intervene promptly with potentially abusive partners to prevent violent behavior or its recurrence.