Battering, Forgiveness and Redemption

Abstract

This Article focuses on a topic that, though frequently discussed, has been dismissed in the domestic violence discourse - forgiveness. The author draws upon personal narrative to frame the challenge of forgiveness. The article explores forgiveness - for domestic violence survivors, for batterers, and for communities - through a personal lens and drawing upon mediation, restorative justice and indigenous peace and reconciliation models. The article concludes that exploration and embrace of models that address forgiveness and reconciliation are overdue and would contribute greatly to practice and discourse on domestic violence.

JEL Classification: K14, K40, K42, K49, Z00