Victim Awareness Process
Step 1 : Pacify & Conciliate
The first step is sympathy and empathy. Victims are groups of people who just been through harms and unjust treatments. The first thing comes up to mind should be concern of their emotions instead of how we can punish offenders.
- Victims will be taken to a place that makes them feel comfortable and relax. Besides indoor places, otuside like park or beach are feasible as long as they can help to calm down victims.
- One volunteer and one trainer will follow the victim to pacify and conciliate his or her emotion. They will listen to victims' stories and chat with victims in order to achieve sympathy.
Step 2 : Training on Restorative Justice
The second step is to inform victims with the concept of restorative justice. By eduacting them with restorative justice, they would have a better understanding of their roles in the crime and roles of other parties in the crime. Learning and understanding the theory and purpose will help all stakeholders to reach a consensus.
- Specialists who study restorative justice will educate victims on the concepts. Victims are able to ask questions on what ever they are confused with.
- Training will be moved on step by step until victims fully understand what restorative justice is.
Step 3 : Address Needs
The final step, also the most imperative step, is to address victims' needs. Under criminal justive, the only thing they get is the punishment to offenders. The real needs for victims would be information and truth about the crime, sense of empowerment (control of themselves), and restitution or vindication.
- Sepsific needs from victims will be asked and reserved.
- Needs that are capable to fulfill will be done immediately.
Here is a link to the training process that is similar to ours.
