Professional insights into sexual violence restorative justice risk assessment, Recommendations for practice
Loading...
Date
2025-05-09
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Rights
(c) 2025 The Author/s
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Abstract
Conventional criminal justice systems are often ill-placed to offer appropriate justice responses for victim-survivors of sexual violence. Restorative justice following sexual violence (SVRJ) is a trauma-informed victim-centered justice process showing significant benefits for victim-survivors (e.g. meeting justice needs, supporting recovery), perpetrators (e.g. improved insight, community reintegration, reduced reoffending), and their wider communities (e.g. encouraging accountability, addressing harmful beliefs). Careful risk assessment within SVRJ is vital to preventing secondary victimization, yet standardized SVRJ risk assessment guidelines are not currently available in Aotearoa New Zealand. SVRJ professionals (n = 16) engaged in semi-structured interviews exploring their perspectives and experiences of SVRJ risk assessment. Data were analyzed by reflexive thematic analysis resulting in four themes: perceived participant preparedness, safe support systems, culturally competent assessment, and participant alignment. These themes formed the basis for the developed SVRJ risk assessment guideline recommendations. Wider implications of the findings are also discussed. The research contributes to understandings of SVRJ risk assessment and professional practice.
Description
Keywords
Interpersonal harm, restorative justice, risk assessment, sexual harm, sexual violence, trauma-informed justice, victim-centered
Citation
Bremer C, Fletcher RB, Shepherd M, Jülich S. (2025). Professional insights into sexual violence restorative justice risk assessment, Recommendations for practice. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. Latest Articles. (pp. 1-20).