Capturing the stories of Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter.
Storytelling is an integral part of the Restorative Justice process itself. For a victim of crime, sharing their experience in their own words can be empowering, and help the other party to see the reality of what they went through. For the person who committed the crime, stories about how they got to where they were when committing the crime, can add context and help answer some of the victims’ questions. Stories foster connection and understanding, giving people a glimpse into someone else’s reality.
After the restorative process is over, some decide to continue the storytelling journey, sharing their experience of Restorative Justice.
Why tell stories?
“Sharing your story can be incredibly powerful, not only for your own healing but also for others who might be struggling with similar traumas… It’s a chance to turn your pain into a positive force, advocating for healing, accountability, and transformation… Remember, your voice matters.” – Why me? Lived Experience Ambassador
Healing
Many people affected by crime feel silenced throughout the justice process. Many never get the chance to appear in court, and if they do, may not have the chance to speak at all, or say what they want to. Questions are left unanswered and the trauma of the crime is often never shared. This silencing is disempowering and for lots of people, the opportunity to share their story can be transformative.
Sharing their experience, as far as they feel comfortable doing so, for some people can be both cathartic and healing. It can combat the shame that many feel about having been a victim of crime, helping them to process what they have been through.
Spreading the word
When people share their stories of Restorative Justice, it also helps to get the word out about the process. Whether they’re appearing on television, a podcast, writing a book, doing an interview or just talking to family and friends, they are raising awareness of what Restorative Justice is, and how it can help people.
Encouraging others
Not only does storytelling help to raise the awareness of the general public, but for other people affected by crime, hearing about someone’s experience of Restorative Justice can encourage them to explore it for themselves.
Whilst listening to the story of someone who went through Restorative Justice, people affected by crime can begin to apply it to their own lives and how it could benefit them. Whilst it won’t be right for everyone, they then have the option to explore it further.
Research shows that the vast majority of victims of crime don’t find out about Restorative Justice, so hearing a story on the radio or reading about it online may be the only way that they ever find out it is an option.
“Every story of healing… has a ripple effect that transforms lives and communities.” – Why me? Lived Experience Ambassador
Ultimately, storytelling allows something positive to come out of the harm that has been caused. It can be therapeutic and healing, and also allows more people affected by crime to hear about the power of the process, and consider it for themselves.
This week, Why me? trained a new group of volunteers for our Damage and Repair project. The project’s aim is to capture the stories of people who have been through Restorative Justice, or who have been influential in the sector over the period from 2002 to 2022. The volunteers will use oral history techniques to record the stories and they will be archived in the British Library. We will then spread the stories far and wide, turning them into podcasts, a collection on our website, radio shows and school workshops.
The training was a big success, with a new group of people learning about oral history interviewing, sharing ideas about story collection and sharing stories of their own. We are so grateful to those who are giving their time to support this work and look forward to sharing our archive of stories when they are ready.
If you have a story to share about your own experience of Restorative Justice, or know someone who may want to share their story, get in touch with me at keeva.baxter@why-me.org.