NCJ Number
209895
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 11 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2005 Pages: 603-638
Date Published
May 2005
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This study explored the views of Australian victim advocates on restorative justice, specifically in the area of gendered violence.
Abstract
In the past decade, restorative justice has been proposed as a promising means of responding to gendered violence. However, little is known about how victim advocates and service providers view the idea of restorative justice. In the area of gendered violence, academic feminists and victim advocates have made compelling arguments against restorative justice. This study focuses on restorative justice and gendered violence and presents what victim advocates in two Australian States think about using restorative justice for gendered violence. The victim advocates recognized that the current criminal justice system encourages women to report rape and to participate in rape prosecutions that are damaging to them personally. It was found that although victim advocates have concerns and reservations about restorative justice, most saw positive elements. It is seen that by incorporating restorative justice processes into the criminal justice framework, there will be an increase in opportunities for violent men to acknowledge responsibility for their behavior in a forum that is legally and emotionally significant. Appendix and references