France to use virtual reality as a tool for convicted perpetrators of domestic violence to experience victims’ perspective 

The French Ministry of Justice will launch in October a one-year-long experimental programme for convicted perpetrators of domestic violence. Using virtual reality (VR), the perpetrators will be immersed in daily scenes of a family suffering from domestic violence, from the perspectives of the abuser, the spouse and the child respectively.

The scenario, developed in collaboration with experts on domestic violence, is divided into seven chapters, spread throughout several years of the family’s story. The different chapters will highlight different topics such as psychological violence, physical violence, the victims’ isolation, the abusers’ control over the victims, and more. Using this tool, the objective is to decrease the number of repeated offences, by developing the perpetrators’ empathy, making them understand the fear victims’ feel and developing awareness and consciousness of the behaviour they had. Participants – around 30 men in total – have been selected on a voluntary basis.

A similar programme has already been tested in Spain, based on a video game, showing encouraging results. The French project will be closely followed by two teams of researchers in cognitive psychology (Lyon II University and Rennes University), who will evaluate the experimentation’s impact and develop practical recommendations.

The project will take place in three French cities (Lyon, Meaux and Villepinte). Depending on the outcome of the experimentation, the programme might be developed at a larger scale in France, broadened for other types of violence and/or used for the training of law enforcement authorities, judges and prosecutors.

Find the news article on the Website of the French Ministry of Justice: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/le-garde-des-sceaux-10016/violences-intrafamiliales-des-moyens-inedits-contre-la-recidive-34094.html 

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