Posts Tagged ‘restorative justice’

Virtual Porch Chats 2020!

Posted on: July 2nd, 2020 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council

Image: Porch Chats

What are Porch Chats?

Porch chats are an opportunity for the community to come together and have conversations about what’s happening in our community. They are to promote understanding, build community connections and facilitate action among citizens and communities. Porch Chats are part or the Friends of Crime Prevention initiative and chat ideas are brought forth my members of our community. Some porch chats have been recorded and can be found below. 

Brought to you by the Friends of Crime Prevention, All 2020 Porch Chats are part of the #KeepFamiliesSafe Campaign. #KeepFamiliesSafe is rooted in raising awareness of family, friends, neighbours and people in the work place about family violence especially under the strain and isolation of the pandemic. It encourages community to pay attention and equips them with ways they can help.

Usually Porch chats are held on the porch and surrounding gardens of the historic Governor’s house, home of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council at 73 Queen St. N. in Kitchener. But, adapting to Covid-19, we will meet on a virtual porch. BYOL (Bring your Own Lemonade) See you there! 

We have had four Porch Chats on Prevention Family Violence over summer all delivered in English. With the help of generous community members we have been able to offer Porch Chats in languages other than English. If you would like a Porch Chat facilitated in your language please contact Julie Thompson.

Upcoming Porch Chats :

Impact of Migration on Families and the added Risks During Covid 19

Recognizing that family violence takes place in all cultures, we have worked with the #KFS coalition partners to extend the conversation into languages other than English. Lucky to meet Asmaa Cober, she helped coordinate four of these Porch Chats, in four different languages starting with those she spoke. These are the first Porch Chats facilitated in languages other than English. We hope to extend the conversation into others of the rich and diverse communities that make up Waterloo region.

Image: Porch Chats Art

In this porch chat, we will build understanding how family relationships, mental health, and stress levels change after arrival to a new home and how is that connected to Covid 19 situation. We will have a dialogue about cross generational and cross cultural conflict that can lead to family violence. We will present signs of abusive relationships and discuss what we can do as community members in helping families stay safely together. We will explore some tips to help adults and children to use conflict resolution skills to solve problems. We will elaborate on some services that are available to help families improve  relationships and maintain family peace. Our main goal help communities come together to keep families together and safe.

We are a coalition of 18 organizations concerned about the impact of the Pandemic on families. Like the increased stress and isolation of the pandemic, family strain is universal and we need each other now more than ever.  Please help us get the word out.

In Farsi : عنوان این گفت‌وگو «تأثیر مهاجرت بر روابط خانوادگی» است

در این گفت‌وگو، ما به چگونگی تغییر روابط خانوادگی، بهداشت روان و بالارفتن سطح استرس پس از ورود به خانهٔ جدید (کشور میزبان) و نیز ارتباط آن با وضعیت همه‌گیری بیماری کووید ۱۹ (کرونا) خواهیم پرداخت.

همچنین ما درمورد درگیری‌های بین‌نسلی و میان‌فرهنگی گفت‌وگو خواهیم کرد؛ عواملی که هر یک یا با هم می‌تواند به بروز ناآرامی و خشونت در خانواده منجر شود.

ما نشانه‌هایی از روابط خشن یا دارای آزار را ارائه خواهیم داد و سپس درمورد آنچه می‌توانیم به‌عنوان اعضای جامعه انجام دهیم تا کمک کند خانواده‌ها در امنیت و آرامش کنار یکدیگر زندگی کنند به بحث خواهیم پرداخت.

نکات ما، برخی راه‌های برای کمک به هر دو گروه بزرگ‌سالان و کودکان در استفاده از مهارت‌های حل تعارض را در برمی‌گیرد و همچنین در مورد برخی خدماتِ روان‌شناختی و اجتماعیٍ دردسترس که برای کمک به خانواده‌ها در بهبود روابط و حفظ آرامش توضیح خواهیم داد. هدف اصلی ما حفظ خانواده‌ها در کنار یکدیگر در محیطی امن و آرام است.

Monday, November 30, 2020: Register Here

In Arabic :  تاثير الغربة على العلاقات العائلية

خلال الجلسة سوف نركز على النقاط التالية : التاثيرات والتغييرات في العلاقات العائلية والصحة النفسية بعد الهجرة الى مكان جديد، وارتباطها بوباء الكورونا. سوف نناقش الازمات المتعلقة بالاجيال والثقافات المختلفة والتي قد تؤدي الى عنف ضمن الاسرة. أيضا، سوف نتكلم عن مؤشرات العلاقات الغير صحية أو المسيئة وماذا نستطيع ان نفعله كاعضاء في مجتمعنا لمساعدة العائلات، لكي يشعروا بالامان مع بعضهم البعض. سنتطرق ايضا الى بعض المفاتيح الاساسية لمساعدة الاولاد والكبار بتطوير مهارات حل النزاعات. كما سنتكلم عن الخدمات المتواجدة لمساعدة العائلات بتحسين العلاقات فيما بينهم والمحافظة على السلام والسكينة. هدفنا الاساسي هو المحافظة على وحدة وسلامة الاسرة.

Dec 2; Register Here

In Turkish : Göçün Aile İlişkilerine Etkisi

Yeni bir yaşama başladığımız bu yeni ülkede, aile ilişkilerinin, akıl ve ruh sağlığının, ve kişisel stres seviyelerinin nasıl değiştiğini ve COVID19’un bu değişimdeki etkisini konuşacağımız bu sohbette, aile içi şiddete yol açabilen, nesiller ve kültürler arası çatışmalarla ilgili diyaloglar da kuracağız.

Kötüye kullanılan, suistimal edilen ilişkilerin izlerini sürecek, toplum olarak ailelerin nasıl bir arada huzur içinde ve güvende yaşamasını destekleyebileceğimizi ele alacağız.

Yetişkinlerin ve çocukların fikir ayrılıklarını nasıl çözebilecekleri ile ilgili bazı ipuçları paylaşacağız. Ailelerin ilişkilerini iyileştirmelerine ve aile huzurunu sürdürmelerine yardımcı olmak için mevcut olan bazı hizmetlerin üzerinde duracağız.

Bu sohbetteki ana hedefimiz ailelerin bir arada ve güvende olması için ne yapmamız gerektiğini bilmek, gerekeni yapmak ve iyileştirici adımlar atılmasını sağlamaktır.

Dec 8 Register Here

In Kurdish (Sorani and Badini): ‘ئه م دئ جاوه دانوستاندينئ دگه ل خو و خيزان و زاروكين خو كه ين’

ئه ف بابه ته دئ ل سه ر وئ جه ندئ بيت ئه م دئ جا وه خو و خيزانا خو دير كه ين ژ نه ئارام بونا ميشيكي و هزرا و هه ر نه ئارام بونه كي ده مئ دهيه وه لاته كئ ني و تايبه ت في وه ختئ ئه م هه مي تيدا دژين يئ كورونايئ دا (COVID 19)و هه روه ها دئ جاوه خو و خيزانا خو ژ في فايروسي پاريزين.و دئ جاوه كه لتوري خو كونجيني دگه ل كه لتوريت دي و سه ره ده ريئ و هاريكاري دگه ل ئيك كه ين دا پيكفه ده ستيت خو بكه ين ئيك بو ئارام بون ژ لايه نئ ميشكي ڤه و دلا.

Tuesday, Dec 15:  Register Here

 

More Porch Chats may be announced.

Some of our past Porch Chats have been recorded and posted below.

Past Porch Chats 2020:  

Understanding Emotional Abuse and Precursors to Violence in the Home  – Link to recording below 

Understanding the Impact of Trauma and Abuse on Children  Aug 12:

Resolving Conflict in Families – Aug 19

Becoming An Active Bystander Registration –   Click here to view recording.   Aug 24, 2020 

 

Stay Tuned!

Click here to visit our Events Calendar for more details.

Hats off to this amazing coalition!

Restorative Justice Reduces Fear of Crime

Posted on: November 21st, 2013 by Smart on Crime

A woman’s purse is snatched as she walks downtown. A youth is swarmed and attacked by four other youth. A man pounds on his neighbour’s door, uttering threats when she refused to return his son’s football. The woman fears leaving her home. Fear of crime can skyrocket for such victims of crime. Trouble concentrating, hyper-vigilance, and a generalized feeling of being unsafe may ensue. Crime victims may install alarm systems, seek Peace Bonds, or relocate, but an increased fear of crime may persist. Friends and family, hearing about the crime, may also fear crime more.

Restorative justice can dramatically reduce crime victims’ post-traumatic stress symptoms and fear of crime. Restorative justice is a voluntary process that brings together the victim, perpetrator, and their supporters with trained facilitators to talk about how they have been affected by the crime, and who needs to do what to make things as right as possible. Community Justice Initiatives (CJI) in Kitchener has been a leader in this worldwide movement for nearly 40 years.

Carol, who was hit over the head with a broken bottle as her purse was snatched, had missed many days at work, overwhelmed by fear. In the seven months since the incident, she had been unable to face buying a new purse. When Carol and her daughter met with the perpetrator, Brianna, and Brianna’s grandmother in a facilitated process, Carol and her daughter described the far-reaching effects of the incident. Carol learned about Brianna’s traumatic history and ensuing drug habit that led to the robbery. She saw how upset Brianna’s grandmother was by Brianna’s behavior, and Brianna’s repentance and efforts to get on the right track. She learned Brianna was not the monster that she had imagined her to be, but a troubled young woman who had been the past victim of rape and abuse, trying to turn her life around. Carol’s fear was transformed. On the way home from the restorative justice process, she bought a new purse and returned the next day to work with confidence.

Vigit, who had been swarmed and hit by four other youths, no longer needed to look around anxiously as he left the house after he participated in a restorative justice process. In a follow-up interview, Vigit said, “It was great to get together with the individuals to discuss what happened. I was personally attacked and felt really unsafe at the time. This gave me peace of mind, and helped everyone move on.”

Similarly, Barbara, who was living in fear following threats Bill shouted while pounding on her door, experienced not only a renewed sense of safety, but deep compassion and support from her neighbours, who learned, as an outcome of the process, that her husband was dying of cancer. The football had come into her yard one too many times, and had damaged a birdbath made by her husband. Bill not only apologized for his threatening behavior and for bad-mouthing her character to all the neighbours. He volunteered to go around to all the neighbours and explain what had happened. The neighbours also came up with a new place for the youth to play football.

Research shows that burglary and robbery victims who go through a restorative justice process have a dramatic reduction in post-traumatic stress symptoms compared to those who don’t. Fear of crime drops not only for the direct victim, but for family, friends and neighbours, too, as they see the person responsible for the harm held accountable, apologize and take steps to repair the harm.

Just as a restorative justice process for cases before the courts can reduce fear of crime, use of restorative justice in schools can help to build a stronger sense of safety and community. Schools that use restorative justice to address crime and harm have lower suspension rates and higher perceptions of safety by staff and students. This typically leads to a more effective learning environment, less absenteeism of staff and students, and higher student achievement levels.

Restorative justice can also be used within the community to help people resolve escalating tensions between neighbours, on sports teams, or within housing developments. After meeting with trained mediators and addressing the underlying issues behind people’s positions, the fear of violence erupting is replaced with new understanding and a mutually acceptable way forward.

Contact Community Justice Initiatives for more information about restorative justice, or to explore using a restorative justice process to address a particular crime, harm or conflict. Be part of the movement to build healthier communities and reduce the fear of crime.

Community Justice Initiatives
49 Queen St. N—3rd floor
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 2G9
info@cjiwr.com | 519-744-6549

Photo: Sue KlassenAuthor: Sue Klassen is completing her Masters in Conflict Transformation, with concentrations in Restorative Justice and Trauma Healing.  As past president of Partners in Restorative Initiatives, a restorative justice agency in Rochester, NY, she has 12 years experience in working with restorative justice and trauma in courts, schools and the community, as a facilitator, trainer and advocate.

 

 

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