Domestic abusers put in victims’ shoes using VR sets

VIRTUAL reality headsets that help domestic violence perpetrators experience abuse from a victim’s perspective are to be trialled after scientists found the technology reduced reoffending.

Virtual Bodyworks, a Spanish startup, is in discussions with large companies to roll out the technology after successful tests by researchers at the University of Barcelona and the government of Catalonia.

During the trials, male offenders were asked to put on a virtual reality headset that “transformed” them into a woman and to see things from their point of view. The software then forced them to interact with a male aggressor, who shouted verbal abuse while gradually moving closer towards them in the virtual world.

The system’s artificial intelligence could detect if they tried to avoid looking at the virtual character. It would then order them to engage.

“The atmosphere is interactive, since the abuser looks at the participant’s face and shouts ‘shut up’ when speaking, or ‘look at me’ if looking elsewhere,” said Mel Slater, co-author of the study.

Around 60 per cent of the more than 200 criminals that used the technology in the past two years have not reoffended due to increased levels of empathy, the company claims.

Researchers found that before the study, the offenders struggled to identify fear in a woman’s face.

“After experiencing themselves as the victim, in the virtual reality session, the ability to realise about that fear improved,” said researcher Sofia Seinfield.

The company said it would seek financial backing to expand to the UK later this year.