What do you think of restorative justice?

[Omg20]

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/27/restorative-justice-confronted-rape

What do you think of this?

I think if it helps victims it is a good idea as long as the victim agreed to it. This isn't completely restorative justice as the offender doesn't get out of their sentence but it does let the victim get closure.

What are your thoughts?
Would this help?
Would it be good to give victims the option of doing it?

Does that matter really?
I linked to an article that a woman who was the victim of rape and felt it had helped her and I looked around and didn't find it posted anywhere about this so I thought it would be a good idea if it would help other victims.

Is it only victims of rape that can help other victims or should everyone try and play their part in helping victims of this awful crime?

I know quite a lot about rape just by reading things if this victim said that it was helpful and helped her get closure then I believe her even if you don't.

You already knew that I have read and posted on a lot of threads on here and have heard women explaining about how rape affects them. I think that on its own is enough to form an opinion.

I was reading a local news story when an article came up about this on the side of the page I thought it would be useful. Seriously though you don't actually know if any of my family daughters, mum, wife etc has been affected by this crime so I would kindly ask you to stop trying to paint me in a bad light for no reason. Also in case you didn't know men can be a victim of rape aswell and what is creepy about expressing how sorry I am with what has happened to some people?

I didn't say I formulated all my opinion on just that I think you would have seen me posting on threads about a lot of things. Like how men should be educated on what the legal definition of rape is in school. About rape statistics. About how to tackle the problem in the justice system when handling rape cases etc etc

I did say however that hearing victims accounts of what happened to them is enough to empathise with them and want to help them get closure.

This isn't exactly restorative justice though it is a meeting between the victim and offender that has no impact on the offenders sentence or anything. The only thing it done was help the victim move on with her life.

I only said restorative justice because that is what the article refered to it as.

If you read the article it is very clear what I meant.

I am of the same opinion that you have just put foward sgm. I believe it should be an option for the victim. If they wish to.

I have summited a report to mnhq to get the title changed to make it more clear.

Perhaps it should be made clear exactly who can have an opinion and who can't? That way we won't have just anybody having opinions. Even complete fuckwits could have opinions, last time I checked.

Good to see that we are open to debate and not at all hostile.

Omg20 - In the article you linked to the opportunity to meet the rapist and explain to him the impact of his actions was clearly good for that particular victim in this instance. But I suspect Joanne Nodding is unusual in this and the article made clear there aren't many successful meetings like this for crimes this serious.

So I would be reluctant to see this promoted much (other than for victims to be made aware it's a possibility if they want it) as it could give the impression that rape is not that serious "because, look, she can get over it if she can just meet the guy".

I ticked the convert links automatically box but it doesn't appear to have worked.

MrsChuff, Sometimes creating a safe space is more important than giving fuckwits the right to their opinion.

There was a lot in that article that was a bit strange.

That she wouldn't be allowed to meet him if she was very angry.
That they were concerned for the impact the meeting might have on her - OK - and him???

This is also a very unusual case in that she forgave him, and was not angry - I don't think that women should be made to feel that this is the "correct" response. If she had a different response they wouldn't have let her meet him - that is dodgy to me.

Ditto he was contrite and apologised. Obviously I don't know many rapists, but from what I have seen in the news and my small real life sample rapists do not usually seem to be contrite, apologetic, concerned for their victims. Remember they had to change the rules around rapists defending themselves to stop them torturing the victims in court by questioning them in detail over and over about what they had done to them.

I am glad that this woman got some closure but basically I think the situation she was in was pretty rare and not enough to build a "policy" around.