Family members, partners and friends of victims or offenders are also often (indirectly) hurt by the impactful event that their loved one was involved in. The contact between them may have changed because of this. Under the guidance of a mediator, they can start the conversation about what happened, which can help them process it and recover from it.
Restorative circles
If you are affected by sexual abuse or violence, this can cause change in the contact between you and your loved ones. They want to be there for you, but often don’t know how to help you. As the person affected by sexual violence, it can be difficult for you to share your thoughts and feelings with them. But sharing how you feel can help with your recovery. Know that you are not alone. There are loved ones, professionals, and others who were affected, that are there to help you once you feel ready. They can form your ‘restorative circle’. The mediators of Perspectief Herstelbemiddeling can help you and your loved ones to talk about what happened. You can find more information (in Dutch) on the website of Victim Support Netherlands. You can apply for an intake with a mediator through our application form. If you have questions, you can call or email us, or use the contact form.
The video above offers a more in-depth explanation of restorative circles (in Dutch).
Indirect victims
With indirect victims, we mean the family and friends of an offender. When someone commits a crime, this often doesn’t only impact the victim and the ones close to them, but also the people close to the offender. The parents, partner, siblings or children of a convict are often also (emotionally) affected by the acts committed by their family member. This may have caused the trust to be broken and in need of repairing. Recovery with their social network can help offenders stay away from criminal behavior in the future. The social support of others is crucial for this.
Perspectief Herstelbemiddeling can guide and facilitate this contact in case it’s too difficult for them to do it alone. A first meeting, under the guidance of an impartial mediator, can help to restore the contact and trust.
Want to know more about the option to get in contact with the other person?
You can apply for an intake.
If you are a professional referring a client, such as an employee of a prison or probation services, you can use the form for referrers.
Questions? Please visit our contact page.
