Machine Learning Making the Invisible Epidemic Visible

The Problem 

The University of Chicago Medical Center is on the front lines of an invisible epidemic: treating domestic violence survivors, a problem that disproportionately affects the low-income communities of color who compose the primary patient population that the Medical Center serves. 

In the context of domestic violence, missed opportunities to intervene perpetuate, leaving both visible wounds and invisible emotional scars. Every moment of recognition becomes vital in disrupting harmful patterns, and AI-driven insights create a critical opportunity for proactive intervention. 

Machine Learning Solution

The Center for Applied AI, alongside the Crime Lab and the Social Sciences Research Center, has received a grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation to continue our research on an innovative solution to this issue, with the goal of detecting a higher number of unreported cases of domestic violence.

Our research is contextualized at the intersection of healthcare and machine learning. Using computer vision techniques to analyze data collected during trauma center visits—such as X-ray images—alongside other contextual domestic violence data, this research seeks to reveal subtle indicators of abuse that may easily be overlooked. Flagging these at-risk cases, the proposed system would allow healthcare providers to prioritize these patients for follow-up appointments with social workers or domestic violence advocates who can offer individualized, culturally competent support and connect survivors to necessary services. 

By contributing to the dedicated and important work of our medical staff, this approach acts as another opportunity to engage patients at the point of care—before violence escalates further—and offer support in a safe and controlled environment. It helps bridge the gap between high-intensity clinical operations and the need for specialized social support, offering a scalable model for improving care and service connections for domestic violence survivors that can ultimately save lives. 

Support for CAAI’s Mission

This project exemplifies CAAI’s ongoing commitment to harnessing AI to create meaningful societal impact, transforming critical sectors like healthcare and social services to better serve vulnerable populations. Introducing AI at the intersection of medical care and domestic violence intervention, this work offers a fresh perspective on the “invisible epidemic” and opens an additional opportunity to intervene in survivors’ lives at a critical point. We are thrilled to be able to be a part of this project that contributes to saving lives and improving community health by using AI constructively and ethically to promote the common good.