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© Copyright 1996 - 2012 PFI Centre for Justice and Reconciliation - Reprint Policy Site by Mooball IT
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Sign up for free monthly updates on restorative developments around the world.
© Copyright 1996 - 2012 PFI Centre for Justice and Reconciliation - Reprint Policy Site by Mooball IT
How restorative justice can empower victims in serious crimes - two cases of rape
Jan 31, 2012
from the post by Jonathan Bartley in Ekklesia:
A frequently repeated myth about restorative justice is that it can’t work for “serious” or “violent crimes”. As restorative practices become more widely available however, this myth is being busted. Its role in shifting the power imbalance around crime towards the victim is becoming increasingly apparent. Its ability to help victims overcome the fear of crime and move on, in a way that more punitive practices often don't, is also being appreciated. Two examples that have been cited recently involve cases of rape.
The first, featured by Sky News concerned Joanne Nodding. She told Sky News how she feared for her life when she was raped almost 10 years ago, and how even seeing her attacker being sentenced to life did little to help her achieve closure. This is what she said:
“It changed the power balance," she said. "I'm not scared of him now."
....The second case involved Claire Chun, who was raped twice, at knifepoint, by a man who had been released from prison. This is what she said of her RJ experience:
“Although I was in court, nobody looked at me and nobody heard me.
“From the outset, I knew I wanted to speak with the rapist. I didn’t want to be just another rape statistic. I was a real person, with a real life, who had been really harmed. The collateral damage to my family and friends was immense.
“I wasn’t aware of Restorative Justice (RJ) at the time; and despite being so traumatised and barely able to function, I went on to work with two highly skilled mediators who agreed to take on my case. After 20 months of negotiation, I finally got to speak to the man whose first words to me had been “Do as I say, or I’ll kill you”.
Read the whole post.
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