Restorative justice with respect to domestic violence and sexual abuse

Source: TMs (online). Boston, MA: Unitarian Universalist Association.

In view of the challenge of seeking the best response to domestic violence and sexual abuse, the authors explore how understandings of restorative justice and family violence theory intersect. Integration of restorative justice with domestic violence and sexual abuse theory is difficult, in part because of the complex and unique dynamics of abuse. Yet, using a detailed chart for purposes of comparison and contrast, the authors highlight key ways in which restorative justice better applies to domestic violence and sexual abuse than retributive justice.