Presenter: Dalida Rittossa

Title: Life in the Time of COVID-19 - Social Implications on the Security and Well-being of Vulnerable Groups in the European Context

Duration: 20 min.

Abstract: In recent weeks, humanity has experienced devastating effects of COVID-19 crisis in every segment of social life. While state officials are predominately focused on fighting the pandemic in the medical battlefield, there has been a strong indication that the state reduction of previously attained level of social security rights and services combined with mandatory lockdown measures have severe, unwanted consequences for the most vulnerable members of society. These who were vulnerable are now more vulnerable than ever, and having this in mind, a group of researchers from four different countries (Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Sweden) has decided to organise themselves as to explore whether the state may bear the COVID-19 social burden and adequately protect children, victims of family violence and people with mental health difficulties. Among the many issues that are covered with the research plan organised in interdisciplinary settings, the problem of possible (mis)use of ICT and digital technology evidently stands out. The question remains and calls for an account of what is the right balance between the state positive actions based on technology to fight the pandemic, on the one hand, and the protection of individual human rights and fulfilment of special needs of the vulnerable, on the other.

Biography: Dalida Rittossa is an assistant professor at the Department of Criminal Law, Faculty of Law in Rijeka. During her academic career, she wrote a number of scientific articles in the field of Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Criminology and Victimology. As a hearty advocate of vulnerable groups’ rights, Ms. Rittossa has recently focused her research on issues concerning criminal legal protection of children, sexual crimes against children, rights of people with mental difficulties and privacy rights.

Contact:
Assist. Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D.
Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka, Croatia
phone: +385 51359526
gsm: +385 914960201

email: dalida@pravri.hr