Introduction

The European Conference on Domestic Violence (ECDV) was established in 2015 by a group of European based academics and activists. The conference aims to support and reflect the aims of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention after the city in which it opened for signature in August 2014.

The conference series has been developed to enhance the visibility and connection of individuals working to address domestic violence in Europe, while also benefitting from the contribution of colleagues from outside Europe. Our aim is that the conference is interdisciplinary and is accessible to individuals from across Europe who work in delivering services, developing policy or undertaking research.

The conference takes place once every two years, with previous events in Belfast (2015), Porto (2017), Oslo (2019), Ljubljana (2021) and Reykjavik (2023). The sixth conference is scheduled to take place in September 2025 in Barcelona. The conference series is now well-established, attracting nearly 1000 delegates in 2023, including large numbers from outside Europe. The conference is hosted and organised by a local committee in each country, supported by members of the original organising group.

Principles

The ECDV is designed to provide an opportunity for practitioners, policy makers and researchers to come together with the aim of:

• raising awareness of domestic violence and its impact on individuals (both adults and children) and society
• sharing research findings and practice developments from across Europe and beyond and to discuss the implications for policy and practice
• promoting the evidence base informing policy and practice developments relating to domestic violence
• encouraging good practice by facilitating networking and resourcing between delegates
• developing research and practice networks, and methods and tools on preventing and combating domestic violence

The conference is primarily a platform for sharing work from within Europe, although colleagues from other parts of the world are also very welcome. The majority of plenary presentations and keynotes will be by individuals whose work is based in Europe. Presentations typically cover research findings or new developments in practice or policy. The conference also provides an opportunity for doctoral students to connect and to present their work.

The conference views domestic violence as encompassing a range of different types of gender-based violence and abuse, including, for example, intimate partner violence, abuse within same sex relationships, children’s experiences of domestic violence, stalking, honour-based violence, domestic violence related homicide and suicide, financial abuse, coercive control, working with those who use violence and abuse in their close relationships, and elder abuse.

The conference is rooted in an ecological understanding of domestic violence, while also recognising that gender is a significant factor both causing and sustaining abuse and violence.

Members of the original organising group:

Prof. John Devaney

Prof Carolina Overlien,

Prof Stephanie Holt

Davina James-Hanman

Prof. Nicky Stanley