This is a blog by our Restorative Justice Programmes Manager, Anika Cosgrove.
People harmed by domestic or sexual abuse face cumulative harm, resulting in a complex, intersectional experience of trauma. Often, layered on top of a survivor’s experience of domestic or sexual violence, is additional harm from various statutory services and ongoing unmet needs.
The repeated harm that survivors experience from services can create an untrusting relationship, as they may feel let down by the very systems they believed would uplift their voice. Instead of finding validation of choices, safety and support, many survivors encounter further trauma through inadequate responses and misunderstandings, deepening their sense of isolation and despair.
The statutory service response to survivors in the context of Restorative Justice, exemplifies another layer of harm that can be inflicted on survivors. When professionals make decisions about safeguarding without actively involving or listening to the survivor, it can lead to feelings of exclusion. Deciding not to give survivors information about Restorative Justice, in direct contradiction of their entitlement under the Victims’ Code, can compound the disempowerment they have experienced from the crime and the justice process.
This lack of participation or blanket “no” can push survivors to seek their own answers and paths to understanding the harm they have endured, fostering a sense of isolation from the very systems meant to hold them. One survivor poignantly expressed this sentiment, stating, “He’s already done the worst he can do to me, what are they protecting me from?” This highlights the profound disconnection between the intentions of statutory services and the lived realities of survivors, emphasising the need for more inclusive and trauma-informed approaches that prioritise survivor voices in decisions affecting their lives.
The cumulative nature of harm experienced by survivors of both domestic/sexual violence and the system creates a complex tapestry of trauma that can make it challenging to identify the specific sources of distress and harm. Each layer of abuse, from the intimate partner, statutory services, or societal responses to restorative justice, becomes intricately woven into the survivor’s overall experience. The entanglement of various forms of harm can leave survivors feeling overwhelmed and powerless.
The intertwined nature of trauma not only complicates the healing process but also requires the survivor to either repeatedly request restorative justice or to live with unanswered questions. All whilst navigating the multifaceted challenges they already face.
Restorative Justice services play a crucial role in providing the support survivors of DSV need for validation, empowerment and trauma recovery. These organisations offer a safe space for survivors to share their experiences and begin the healing process.
Why me? therefore believes that restricting access to RJ represents a significant policy risk, as it perpetuates harm, undermines survivor-centred practice, and fails to uphold the principles of empowerment, choice, and trauma-informed support. We have produced a briefing on how RJ can support survivors of DSV – read more here.
