Restorative Justice

https://crimethinc.com/2013/04/17/accounting-for-ourselves-breaking-the-impasse-around-assault-and-abuse-in-anarchist-scenes

This is a wonderful, but lengthy, piece on restorative justice in movements specifically surrounding sexual abuse. I wanted to share this piece’s opinions on group empowerment and the formation of power structures in society. Our conceptualization of community and hierarchy relates to the movement for liberation. In particular, the relatively recent emphasis of black feminist theory and intersectional feminism has highlighted the misogynoir and sexual assault that unites the experiences of many women of color, especially transgender WOC and WOC with disabilities. I’m writing this post with the expectation that this class has a basic understanding of the bodily control exerted over black women during and after slavery, both as sexual objects and dehumanized home labor. Rather than discussing this narrative, I’ve been considering how to move on with this reality in mind. How can movements for civil rights and human justice operate within a system of misogynoir while actively rejecting racist, sexist, cissexist, ablest, and audist ideologies? More importantly, how do we as a movement heal ourselves while fighting injustice?

Restorative justice refocuses the emphasis from perpetrators to victims without victimizing or victim-blaming. It still seeks to assign blame, but in a manner that is productive in seeking out justice over vengeance and prevention over maintenance. Unlike many concepts discussed in academic settings, restorative justice draws out what is useful for those experiencing abuse, rather than chasing some abstract or intangible form of punishment. This centers the experiential knowledge of the people experiencing abuse to better empathize and treat the oppression at its source. This methodology differs from others that have similar goals but divergent methods in that it returns agency to those experiencing marginalization and validates their judgment and experiences. Support collectives, personal networks, and brave spaces are all ways in which this is being accomplished. Stating the vital importance of critical awareness and reflection in allies is an element that puts the responsibility for justice on people other than the victims.

Any movement should be reflective and critical of its members and its processes. When we consider the Civil Rights movement in Memphis, we should remember to be critical of those in power, those who are most forefront, and the backing beliefs that are prioritized. Likewise, we should question the level of restorative justice and the forms it is allowed to take. Self-care and healing are often deemphasized, so studying the space it is allowed to take (in primary and secondary sources) is important to understanding the people and ideals that comprise a movement. Pay close attention to when movements prioritize ideals and when they prioritize people.