I recently heard the first hand account of a woman who shared her experience of restorative justice in the context of a very serious sexual offence committed against her.
She spoke of having been victim to the most heinous of sexual crimes, yet after a period of years of counselling developed a desire to meet her perpetrator. She wanted not only to try and understand him, but also to explain the impact his actions had had on her and her family. For her own freedom she also wanted to offer him her forgiveness.