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 youâ€.
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
Donate Now