Post by: Damie Omole
Last semester I had the wonderful opportunity to work on a project for Justice Ventures International. Justice Ventures International works on the front lines fighting slavery and extreme injustice in oppressed communities. My project this semester is about victim compensation for survivors of human trafficking.
Working on this project exposed me to the major need for compensation for survivors of human trafficking. A paper I read for my research noted that “justice must be reformative for the purpose of the perpetrator and rehabilitative for the survivor. Therefore, it is a legitimate expectation that the victim must be given rehabilitative support.” This paper peaked my attention about the concept of “restorative justice.”
Restorative justice is an approach in which the survivor and offender, and in some cases other persons affected by a crime participate actively together in resolution of matters arising from the crime, generally with the help of a facilitator. Restorative justice responds to criminal behavior which emphasizes repairing the harm caused by the crime and restoring harmony between the offender, survivor and society. Restorative justice makes the offender responsible for reparation of harm caused by the offence.
I found that restorative justice is an effective way to ensure compensation for the survivors and an opportunity to hold the offender accountable. Restorative justice not only focuses on promoting recovery for the survivor but also provides a means for reconciliation and redemption for the offender.
This post was written by a Center for Global Justice Student Staff member. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.