Gender-based violence is a complex issue, especially when it involves young people with autism. Scientific evidence shows, for example, that women and girls with disabilities are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing violence compared to their peers without disabilities (Hughes et al., 2012), and recent studies indicate that autistic individuals report higher rates of victimization, including sexual and relational violence (Trundle et al., 2023; Weiss & Fardella, 2018).

After an extensive co-design phase, the VERA project is ready for the next step. In March, the partnership will meet in Bologna to implement the training of trainers, where future facilitators will learn to work with the training modules specifically developed for autistic youth, caregivers, and professionals in the field. This will be an important learning opportunity, paving the way for future developments of the project and the first pilot activities in the participating countries.

Stay tuned for updates on the next steps!