Police want to give domestic abuse victims a voice, 'feel empowered' and get closure - by giving them to chance to speak face-to-face to their tormentors.
In a new initiative, launched by Greater Manchester Police, people who have been subject to abuse will be able to meet the people who committed crimes against then- or explain how the crimes have impacted their lives in a letter.
The idea is that victims will be able to talk about what happened and ask for an apology in a bid to 'feel empowered'.
The perpetrators will also have the chance to take responsibility for their actions.
The scheme is called Restorative Justice (RJ) and is currently being used across Greater Manchester for other crimes - including anti-social behaviour, burglary and criminal damage.
It's a service commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and run by a charity called Remedi which works with police, probhation, prisons, youth offending teams and other victim services to give support to both victims and criminals.
RJ can only take place with the consent of both parties and can only be used after a conviction has been made.
GMP's Detective Superintendent Gwyn Dodd, said: "Research from the Policing Research Partnership shows that when facilitated in the correct way, Restorative Justice can be an effective and powerful process, beneficial for victims and offenders. I am keen to build confidence with victims, partners and the police in the use of RJ as effective tool to improve victim satisfaction and reduce repeat offending.
"Victims of crime and their needs are at the heart of everything we do and this pilot is no different. Giving victims of domestic abuse the opportunity to have positive and supported communication with their offender can give them a sense of empowerment, a voice and the chance at the closure they may need to help deal with the horrendous abuse they faced.
"Of course, it is entirely up to the victim whether they wish to pursue RJ, and all the usual routes to justice remain open to victims, including supporting charges and prosecutions alongside the appropriate care packages and onward referrals that our specialist teams can provide."
Deputy mayor for policing and crime, Bev Hughes, said: “Domestic abuse has a long-lasting impact on victims and their families and we are committed to doing all we can to help people cope and recover.
“Restorative justice has already proved to be an empowering tool for victims of crime, giving them the chance to tell offenders how their crime has affected them and the offender the opportunity to apologise and make amends. By piloting this for domestic abuse cases, we can give victims and survivors an additional way to help get the closure they need.
“I’ve always been clear that restorative justice is only effective when used in the right way with the needs of victims at the heart, which is why restorative justice will only be used for post-conviction domestic abuse cases, not as a replacement for the criminal justice process.”
