The use of virtual reality is being employed by teams dealing with domestic abuse cases in a bid to ‘better understand’ victims’ experiences, the BBC reports.
Judges and police are using VR headsets to take them on an ‘immersive journey’ through the eyes of an abuse victim, including the stages of their relationship and the court process.
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) from Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria forces have teamed up with Teesside University to develop an educational film for those working in family courts.
Through the Eyes of Another is a film produced by TUCAN studios at Teesside University and the hope is that the VR resource will be rolled out across the UK.
The film has been put together using testimonies from victims of domestic abuse and has been endorsed by Baroness Brenda Hale, former president of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
Durham PCC Joy Allen described the idea to the BBC as “radical, informative and innovative” and said the three PCCs were approached by a member of the judiciary who wanted to transform the court process.
She said: “For me, it’s about the judgements and about the experience… when you’re making those deliberations, having an understanding of what you’re doing and also what’s informed those things as well.”
Ms Allen said the resource could help staff working in the family court truly understand where victims were coming from throughout the process.
The PCC admitted: “The process can be a bit cold, because you get a file, you get a case. These are human beings with human experiences, and I think this gives us a real innovative snapshot of the times in peoples lives.”
Jack Fahey, senior creative producer at the studios, explained how the video helped show the viewer how domestic abuse could escalate, explaining: “You see the kind of subtleties and nuances of it from early stages, where it’s just a little comment, and then you see that kind of evolve worse and worse.”
