A Milestone for Victims’ Rights: Italian National Meeting Explores Justice, Care, and Future of Victim Support
Verona, March 28–29, 2025 — The city of Verona hosted a watershed event for the future of victim support in Italy and Europe with the national conference “Victims Between Care and Justice, in Italy and Europe.” Organized by Rete Dafne, in collaboration with Victim Support Europe and the Municipality of Verona, the two-day event brought together a wide spectrum of stakeholders including police, prosecutors, judges, lawyers, healthcare professionals, restorative justice practitioners, and victim support experts.
The conference served as a platform for sharing best practices, reviewing national strategies, and discussing the evolving landscape of victim support both at the regional and European level. Held at the Banco BPM Conference Hall, the event marked a significant step in reinforcing Italy’s commitment to providing comprehensive, accessible, and coordinated support services to victims of crime.
A Cross-Sector Dialogue
In her opening remarks, Rosa Jansen, President of Victim Support Europe, offered a stirring tribute to Italy’s cultural and political leadership in Europe, while underlining the urgent need for comprehensive reform.
“Victim support should be recognised as an essential service, just as hospitals, law enforcement, and courts are,” she said. “No society can truly claim to uphold justice if it neglects those who have suffered harm.”
She also emphasised the EU-wide need to close the five persistent gaps in victim support: awareness of rights, access to services, protection, compensation, and availability of trained professionals. Her call to embed victims’ rights into the “very fabric of our social systems” echoed throughout the two-day program.
The opening day featured institutional greetings from prominent local figures including Damiano Tommasi (Mayor of Verona), and key legal authorities, followed by a keynote from Antonio De Martin, Senior Project Manager at Victim Support Europe. Through his presentation he outlined the European perspective on strengthening victim support systems, emphasising models of structured cooperation, NGO-state relations, and flexible service provision. He also highlighted potential strategic solutions for Italy, including the establishment of a 116 006 helpline, and the development of a national victim support strategy.
Strategic Roundtables and Regional Insights
Two insightful roundtables examined the national strategy in victim assistance and the regional and municipal experience across Italy. These sessions featured key voices from Rete Dafne networks in Verona, Bologna, Torino, and Napoli—showcasing both the diversity and shared challenges of victim assistance at the local level.
Focus on Local Networks and Institutions
The second day centred on institutional responses to victims’ needs. Legal professionals, medical experts, police, and social services participated in a roundtable on interdisciplinary collaboration. A final session looked at how local networks address victims’ complex needs, stressing the importance of integrated care that bridges justice and health systems.
A Turning Point for Italy’s Victim Support System
With strong participation from both high-level representatives and front-line service providers, the meeting signalled a turning point. It reaffirmed Rete Dafne’s growing capacity and ambition to shape a more coordinated, accessible, and resilient support system across Italy.
By connecting national and European perspectives, the event opened up new possibilities for policy, practice, and funding—setting the stage for future advancements, including the creation of a 116 006 national helpline and the broader implementation of a comprehensive national strategy on victims’ rights.
