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From Trauma to Recovery: Restorative Justice Conferencing in Cases of Adult Survivors of Intrafamilial Sexual Offenses

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Abstract

Restorative justice (RJ) is a way of doing justice following an offense that is primarily oriented towards repairing individual, relational, and social harm. This study examined how RJ processes, conducted following intrafamilial sexual abuse, helped restore the family relationship, and assessed their contribution to the healing and recovery of the victims and the family system. Twenty-three adults who have chosen to take part in RJ processes were interviewed for this study, including incest survivors, non-offending family members, friends, and RJ facilitators. We used a thematic approach within an experiential framework to analyze the qualitative data. Analysis of the interviews highlights the unique role played by the family affected by incest in the journey of recovery undertaken by the survivor and other family members. Together, the participants’ voices join into a multifaceted portrait of a highly complex process that enables survivors and their family to make themselves heard, become empowered, and grow towards recovery and restoration. The present study adds to recent studies on RJ in cases of sexual offense, and in the particular intrafamilial context. It enriches the literature with descriptions of the participants’ experiences, shedding light on the unique characteristics of RJ processes in incest cases. The study also refines the contribution of the RJ process as an alternative for or as complementary to legal or therapeutic processes, as well as in highlighting the importance of restoring the family system and the suitability of the process for incest cases.

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  1. Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Carmit Klar-Chalamish & Inbal Peleg-Koriat

  2. Yezreel Valley Academic College, Haifa, Israel

    Inbal Peleg-Koriat

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  1. Carmit Klar-Chalamish
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  2. Inbal Peleg-Koriat
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Correspondence to Carmit Klar-Chalamish.

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Klar-Chalamish, C., Peleg-Koriat, I. From Trauma to Recovery: Restorative Justice Conferencing in Cases of Adult Survivors of Intrafamilial Sexual Offenses. J Fam Viol 36, 1057–1068 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-020-00239-0

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