Introduction

Research on Restorative Justice (RJ) to date tends to be gender-blind. Gendered Perspectives of Restorative Justice, Violence and Resilience: An International Framework reflects on how RJ is practiced within an international framework in settling disputes between persons and communities. The focus of the book is to share the different experiences of RJ, resilience and activism in relation to women in India, Singapore, Palestine, Hong Kong and South Africa. It is an extraordinary book in that it will address the lack of gender awareness through victim’s narratives and personal journeys.

The authors feel that their chapters will raise awareness as well as educate readers about the benefits of participating inand using RJ as an intervention to underline the resilience of women facing violence, political challenges and sexual assault. The different chapters cover empirical, experiential and theoretical aspects of RJ to highlight the latest developments in this field. Panickasseril discusses how India has seen a sea change with regard to its criminal jurisprudence in the last decade, particularly in the area of criminal cases of sexual violence in the aftermath of the Delhi Nirbhaya gang rape incident. Ling and Kumar demonstrate how in Singapore, victims of intimate partner violence can seek to end their experience of harm and restore safety through the legal system by applying for Protection Orders (Protection of Harassment Act, 2014; Woman’s Charter, 2009). Orton’s chapter ‘Mothers – The Silent Supporters’ focusses on the role of the mother in the RJ process. Art is used to explore emotions and to provide support for mothers who are experiencing violence from their sons. El Doukhi contributes to the understanding of resilience, social and cultural factors, identity and protracted displacement of Palestinian women in Lebanon from a people-centred approach and actual lived experience. Marqua-Harries discusses the benefits and accessibility of healing circles in the context of building resilience amongst women (and men) in high violence communities in South Africa. She examines the methodology and effectiveness of healing circles in two communities (Manenberg and Lavender Hill) where pilot projects are being undertaken. Anthony Ou brings an understanding to domestic violence in Hong Kong discussing that it is understudied in various ways: (a) there is no study about the relationships between RJ and domestic violence, (b) women’s resilience in the context of domestic violence is seldom mentioned and (c) practitioners’ perspective is often not voiced. Eboka presents the resilience of young girls as they navigate through the challenges and trauma of demeaning marriage practices. Their ability to rise above the challenges of child marriage contradicts the stereotypical perception of being passive and unable to develop agency and empower themselves. Nghishitende reminds us that some women who have left situations of exploitation falling under the umbrella term of modern slavery in the United Kingdom (UK) are mothers whom she calls survivor mothers in her chapter. Some are determined agents driven to provide better lives for their children. In their journeys after exploitation, they may draw resilience in various resources. Sex workers in South Africa face continual police violence. Orton’s research questions whether RJ can be used as an intervention to prevent the escalation of violence against sex workers.