Restorative responses to campus sexual harm: promising practices and challenges

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine restorative approaches to campus sexual harm. A restorative response may provide support and validation for survivors, a pathway for personal change for those who cause sexual harm, and assist in changing campus culture. The article addresses three significant challenges to developing a restorative response. The first challenge is the influence of a pervasive ideology that I refer to as crime logic. A second challenge is the need for an intersectional response that addresses the potential for bias in decisions by campus administrators and restorative justice practitioners. The third challenge is to develop restorative approaches for circumstances in which a victim/perpetrator dyad is not appropriate.

Restorative justice in cases of gender-based violence against women: perspectives on shame, symbolic interactionism and agency

“…Accordingly, the training of practitioners should pay special attention to protecting the psychological and emotional needs of victims and perpetrators of gender-based violence. Towards this end, an international framework on specialised advanced training for the management of restorative justice programmes on gender-based violence could be useful (Coker, 2018;European Forum for Restorative Justice, Gender Based Violence Working Group, 2021).…”

Campus Sexual Violence and Title IX: What is the Role of Restorative Justice Now?

“…Trauma-informed mental health services recognize the effects of trauma on the complainant's life, build resilience, reduce vicarious trauma, and support complainant growth and autonomy (McMahon et al, 2019). RJ allows complainants to challenge the belief that they are broken and provides them the opportunity to change their life story to that of empowerment (Coker, 2018). Complainants often need to tell their story, share their voice, get answers to questions, and have their experience validated.…”