What Does Justice Mean To You?

What does justice mean to you?

Usually when I ask this question the response is “when the offender is locked up” or “when the offender apologizes”. What if this never happens? What if the offender or wrong doer who harmed you never is locked up or apologizes? Does that mean you can achieve justice? Does it mean you’ll forever be locked in a place where the harm lives in your mind, heart and body every day?

As a victim of many crimes, mostly sexual and domestic abuse, I found that justice wasn’t found through our criminal justice system. In fact when I used that system my voice was lost or taken away and I was no longer in control of the process or what happened to me, which equated to additional harm. The traditional processes our Western culture uses just didn’t seem to work for me and it seems there are thousands more like me that just can’t find justice, peace and healing like we hope and long for.

Personally my voice was found in Restorative Justice practices. What is that? It’s the concept that when a crime or wrong doing happens there is harm to the victim and the community. As a community on this earth we have an obligation to help repair that harm and find solutions that will give the victim justice while holding the offender or wrong doer accountable. It’s a beautiful, deep and profound process that calls each one of us to be the best we can be without compromising or settling for less than what each one of needs.

My work at You Have The Power, Restorative Resolution and Welcome Homes all use restorative practices to build communities where every voice is heard and the collective wisdom creates solutions better than what we could imagine.

So how do you define justice? Please share with this community what justice means to you.