ICSA TODAY 30 6
Correspondents
,
Reports
News From the Associations
This report covers the second half of
2016 and the first 3 months of 2017.
Following the July 3, 2016, conference,
Extremist Mindset and Cultic Logic:
The Role of Civil Society in Preventing
and Tackling Violent Extremism,
organized by SOS Abusi Psicologici
in cooperation with the Province
of Udine and EXIT scs onlus, a new
program on violent extremism was
held in Udine on November 5, Joining
and Leaving Violent Fundamentalist
Groups. The conference presented an
opportunity to invite Omar Mulbocous
from the United Kingdom, who is a
specialist in violence intervention and
a therapist trainer for resettlement
staff in prisons, and also a former
member of Al-Muhajiroon. The event,
with guests including Omar Mulbocus
and Robert Őrell, who brought their
stories as former members of violent
extremist groups, had good media
coverage (available at youtube.com/
watch?v=IFDxTcglJSk&feature=youtube).
Representatives of the local
community, the head of prison, the
head of police, representatives of the
Italian government, and people from
associations, religious communities,
and professionals attended the
conference. The same event was
organized on a smaller scale in Milano
the following day.
On November 8, EXIT scs onlus
participated in the Radicalisation
Awareness Network (RAN) Plenary in
Brussels. The meeting highlighted the
importance of looking at cultic studies
as a model for reintegrating former
extremists and children coming back
from Daesh (acronym for “Islamic State
of Iraq and the Levant”) territories.
From December 9 to 11,
representatives of SOS Abusi
Psicologici participated in an
ICSA conference at Stawola Wola,
Sandormierz in Poland, Enhancing
Professional Knowledge on Preventing
Undue Influence and Cults, hosted by
Piotr Nowakoski. The conference was
an opportunity for professionals and
practitioners, especially from Eastern
countries, to share information and
updates on activities.
In September 2016, Cristina
Caparesi was appointed by the
Italian government as a member
of the Commission for the Study of
Radicalisation and Violent Jihadism,
whose objective is proposing
preventive strategies to tackle this
violent phenomenon. The report
was delivered on January 5, 2017, to
the Italian government in a public
conference we are waiting for it to be
publicized.
At the end of 2016, SOS Abusi
Psicologici received a new grant for
2017. The following activities are being
planned in the current year:
• Daily operation of the help center
in Udine for people who are
affected by psychological abuse in
groups, and a weekly operation in
Pordenone
• An annual conference on May
27, Exit Programs and Recovery
From Manipulative Groups, which
will host speakers from different
European countries and will give
more technical information about
how to deal with group abuse
• Informational conferences in
different towns called Network of
Support Against Abuse and Undue
Group Influence
• Support workshops for families
and former members with
the plan to use a webinar
methodology for those who can’t
physically attend and
• Three more issues of the online
journal Abuse and Maltreatment in
Groups.
Correspondents
,
Reports
News From the Associations
This report covers the second half of
2016 and the first 3 months of 2017.
Following the July 3, 2016, conference,
Extremist Mindset and Cultic Logic:
The Role of Civil Society in Preventing
and Tackling Violent Extremism,
organized by SOS Abusi Psicologici
in cooperation with the Province
of Udine and EXIT scs onlus, a new
program on violent extremism was
held in Udine on November 5, Joining
and Leaving Violent Fundamentalist
Groups. The conference presented an
opportunity to invite Omar Mulbocous
from the United Kingdom, who is a
specialist in violence intervention and
a therapist trainer for resettlement
staff in prisons, and also a former
member of Al-Muhajiroon. The event,
with guests including Omar Mulbocus
and Robert Őrell, who brought their
stories as former members of violent
extremist groups, had good media
coverage (available at youtube.com/
watch?v=IFDxTcglJSk&feature=youtube).
Representatives of the local
community, the head of prison, the
head of police, representatives of the
Italian government, and people from
associations, religious communities,
and professionals attended the
conference. The same event was
organized on a smaller scale in Milano
the following day.
On November 8, EXIT scs onlus
participated in the Radicalisation
Awareness Network (RAN) Plenary in
Brussels. The meeting highlighted the
importance of looking at cultic studies
as a model for reintegrating former
extremists and children coming back
from Daesh (acronym for “Islamic State
of Iraq and the Levant”) territories.
From December 9 to 11,
representatives of SOS Abusi
Psicologici participated in an
ICSA conference at Stawola Wola,
Sandormierz in Poland, Enhancing
Professional Knowledge on Preventing
Undue Influence and Cults, hosted by
Piotr Nowakoski. The conference was
an opportunity for professionals and
practitioners, especially from Eastern
countries, to share information and
updates on activities.
In September 2016, Cristina
Caparesi was appointed by the
Italian government as a member
of the Commission for the Study of
Radicalisation and Violent Jihadism,
whose objective is proposing
preventive strategies to tackle this
violent phenomenon. The report
was delivered on January 5, 2017, to
the Italian government in a public
conference we are waiting for it to be
publicized.
At the end of 2016, SOS Abusi
Psicologici received a new grant for
2017. The following activities are being
planned in the current year:
• Daily operation of the help center
in Udine for people who are
affected by psychological abuse in
groups, and a weekly operation in
Pordenone
• An annual conference on May
27, Exit Programs and Recovery
From Manipulative Groups, which
will host speakers from different
European countries and will give
more technical information about
how to deal with group abuse
• Informational conferences in
different towns called Network of
Support Against Abuse and Undue
Group Influence
• Support workshops for families
and former members with
the plan to use a webinar
methodology for those who can’t
physically attend and
• Three more issues of the online
journal Abuse and Maltreatment in
Groups.
