“It took a bit of weight off my shoulders. Made me feel heard. Was good to make the offender hear what I felt. My mum (support person) was able to say how she felt about the whole thing. So that was good. Felt at peace. Felt that justice had been served.”

The latest Ministry of Justice Restorative Justice Satisfaction Survey has been released. It is great to read the impact that RJ can have for people, including 83% agreeing that restorative justice was a good way to deal with an offence. Read more by following the link below. Please note that these results are not specific to Project Restore and include results from Restorative Justice agencies across New Zealand. 

Read more here

“Crime without punishment: can a different kind of justice offer something more to sexual assault survivors?”

“More than 30 years after that morning, Jülich speaks to Guardian Australia from her office in Auckland.  Since that “confrontation meeting” in her parents’ lounge room, Jülich has gone on to become an associate  professor, specialising in restorative justice. She also became a founding member of what many say is the gold standard in restorative justice for sexual assault in the world: New Zealand’s Project Restore.”

Read more about why Project Restore was started and the Restorative Justice process by clicking the link below:

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After a 6 year wait for the Survivors who told their stories, the Royal Commission’s Abuse in Care report was published on 24 July 2024. The impact is harrowing with the abuse of 200,000 children and adults suffered at the hands of those entrusted with

their safety. Erica Stanford, the Minister in charge of inquiry said “their bravery will not only correct the historical record, it will change our future”.

The Restorative Justice Service Review, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, has now been released. The report includes information on what is working and ten recommendations on what can be improved within Restorative Justice services. Project Restore is proud to receive a positive mention on page 16 of the report.

Read the full report here

A huge congratulations to Project Restore’s founder and trustee Dr. Shirley Jülich for being made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to restorative justice and survivors of sexual harm. The Project Restore team are extremely proud and excited for Shirley to be receiving this recognition for her work in the field of sexual harm, which she has been dedicated for over 30 years. You can read more about Shirley and her Order of Merit here

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A woman who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, after a former partner shared a sex video on one of the world’s largest pornography sites, is entitled to help from the Accident Compensation Corporation, a court has ruled.

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There is another path to justice for victims. Project Restore is New Zealand’s national provider of restorative justice for harmful sexual behaviour and sexual violence. Facilitator Fiona Landon says we need to address how ineffective the justice system is at meeting the needs of victims of sexual violence.

Of every 100 sexual assaults in Aotearoa, just 10 are reported to police and of those, only one will result in a conviction. Project Restore gives an alternative path for survivors to find justice. Full article available at NewsHub.

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