Violence Index: a new data-driven proposal to conflict monitoring

In this work, we propose a Violence Index (VI), as a comprehensive indicator of violence related to wars, conflicts, and disorders across different countries worldwide. This index is defined by mashing up different data sources: big data represented by the temporal progression of ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data) variables and an ad hoc dataset defined by our team documenting wars, armed conflicts, civil wars and violent demonstrations since 2010. The purpose is to encapsulate the intensity and impact of such unrest events in a single measure, the VI, to give a simpler, up-to-date, and manageable tool to practitioners and policymakers, for both prevention and strategic planning to let them behave better in future tragic scenarios.