A Restorative Approach to Family Violence: Feminist Kin-Making

A Restorative Approach to Family Violence examines an early and effective demonstration of a family and culturally based model to prevent severe family violence, called family group decision-making. Narrative inquiry shows how engaging the family and relatives resets the narrative from misrecognition to recognition of their competence and caring. The book identifies blocks to trusting families and their cultural networks and offers a feminist kin-making theory to comprehend the restorative process and provides practical guidance to restorative participants, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

A Restorative Approach to Family Violence delves into a groundbreaking demonstration of a family and culturally based model aimed at preventing severe family violence. This conferencing model, known as family group decision-making, was successfully implemented by three diverse Canadian communities: Inuit, rural, and urban. By engaging family members and relatives, this approach shifted the narrative from misrecognition to recognition of their competence and caring. Narrative inquiry plays a crucial role in this process, highlighting how engaging the family and relatives restores trust and empowers individuals.

Family violence presents complex and deeply debated issues within restorative justice. Should we employ a restorative approach to address gendered and intergenerational harm? Or is the risk of further violence increased by bringing together those affected by harm, those responsible for it, and their supporters? At the heart of these questions lies a profound distrust of families and their cultural networks. This distrust has hindered a shift away from carceral interventions that disproportionately impact marginalized communities.

Looking ahead, this volume identifies barriers to trusting families and their cultural networks and offers strategies to overcome these obstacles. It presents a feminist kin-making theory to understand the restorative process and provides practical guidance for restorative participants, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers. By embracing a restorative approach, we can strive to create safer and more supportive environments for families and address the root causes of family violence in a holistic and compassionate manner.

Weight: 232g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367615253