INSTITUTE OF LEGAL INFORMATICS AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS

BRIDGE is an initiative developed through collaboration between IGSG CNR and the IRCCS Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, aimed at strengthening synergies between the healthcare and justice sectors by establishing shared operational procedures and integrating diverse expertise. The objective is to enhance protection pathways and improve access to justice for victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The project is grounded in the belief that hospital settings—particularly those specialising in the treatment of traumatic injuries—play a pivotal role in the early identification of abuse, in initiating protective interventions, and in supporting the effective progression of judicial proceedings.

BRIDGE forms part of a broader research programme focused on access to justice for IPV victims, with the overarching aim of developing operational solutions that are effective, sustainable, and adaptable across diverse territorial contexts. In this framework, justice is not understood solely as the outcome of a criminal trial but as a coherent and systemic institutional response to repeated and often hidden forms of abuse that are difficult to detect and prosecute

Previous research steps centred on the prosecutorial phase of criminal proceedings have highlighted the importance of approaches based on professional specialisation and standardisation, as well as inter-institutional cooperation grounded in shared criteria. These elements are essential to overcoming fragmentation, preventing repeat victimisation, and ensuring that criminal proceedings do not become an additional source of harm. BRIDGE transfers these principles to the clinical context, recognising the strategic role of healthcare facilities in detecting IPV cases, activating protection mechanisms, and providing clinical documentation that can be relevant both for immediate safeguarding and for legal processes.

By combining expertise in organisational and socio-legal research with the Rizzoli Institute’s high-level specialisation in musculoskeletal trauma, the project aims to reassess operational procedures and data collection systems, drawing on direct engagement with healthcare staff to identify strengths and critical issues within current care pathways. In addition, BRIDGE seeks to define potential indicators of abuse, facilitating more timely identification of suspected cases and improving the quality and legal relevance of clinical documentation.

Ultimately, BRIDGE aims to generate evidence and tools that can support the renewal of IPV case management practices, based on the conviction that only a coordinated and interdisciplinary response can offer victims a truly effective and dignified form of justice.