In a society where it is fairly easy to get away with inappropriate and improper behavior towards someone that wouldn’t be considered illegal but still causes the other some sort of distress is sickening. Roddrick A. Colvin and Kwan-Lamar Blount-Hill offer a system that, if it were to be implemented, would allow survivors/victims to be heard and share their testimonies, and for the offenders to admit what they did wrong and seek forgiveness. This study will provide background information, an explanation of why I chose this topic, and my main findings and data. In the article Truth and Reconciliation as a Model for Change in Response to #MeToo tells us that during the #MeToo movement, the term sexual misconduct, has become very popular for …show more content…
A “truth and reconciliation model involves providing a public forum for survivors/victims to testify to the events of their victimization and for offenders to admit previous wrongdoing, take responsibility, and ask forgiveness”(Colvin & Hill, 2020). This process provides the survivors/victims to be heard and share their traumatic experiences and to allow the offenders to take responsibility for their actions and correct the wrong they did. Both sides contribute to healing and growing. Survivors/victims are able to heal through confronting their offender and understanding why their offender behaved the way they did while the offender is able to learn and grow from their mistakes. They do recognize that this process is only in the beginning of what they hope will turn into a system that will be implemented in all states and countries. This process would not replace the criminal justice system but be added to it. A truth and reconciliation system would offer healing, forgiveness, redemption, and encourage society to be open and honest about any sexual misconduct …show more content…
The hypothetical story they gave included a state-based process and their “envisioned process will also diverge from previous truth and reconciliation commissions by being a permanent process, with ongoing mechanisms for reporting, including both anonymous and nonanonymous public testimony”(Colvin & Hill, 2020). They highlight that this process is only a part of the journey for healing, forgiveness, and education and they suggest there should be programs where victims can go through therapy and where offenders can reflect on their previous actions and how to prevent similar situations to arise in the future. A truth and reconciliation system will also be able to educate and enhance societies by normalizing individuals and groups to speak about their truths and reconcile with past harm. Colvin and Hill believe that this system would promote people to speak openly about power and sex, it would encourage individuals to come forward about their previous misdeeds and correct them, and allow survivors/victims to reconcile with their offenders.(Colvin & Hill,