According to Capeheart and Milovanovic in their book Social Justice: Theories, Issues, and Movements, transformation justice theorists “seek not only to respond to the immediacy for the conflict of harm, but also try to situate it in a broader framework addressing structural issues” (2007). Teen Dating Violence is an issue of violence among individuals within their communities. Transformative justice focuses on healing and empowering the victim(s) while also taking into consideration the community and social-structural conditions and thus is the most applicable to this issue. Transformative justice also recognizes that oppression is at the root of violence and seeks to address these issues in the process of healing (Philly Stands Up!, 2010). generationFive, a volunteer collaborative seeking opportunities to forward a Transformative Justice approach to end child sexual abuse and other forms of violence, lays out four goals of Transformative Justice: “Safety, healing, and agency for survivors; Accountability and transformation for people who harm; Community action, healing, and accountability; Transformation of social conditions that perpetuate violence – systems of oppression and exploitation, domination, and state violence” (generationFive.org, n.d.).
In our efforts as a society to bring an end to Teen Dating Violence, we must look at the victim as well as the perpetrator within the context of their environment. Furthermore, we must consider the effects of oppression. Using this holistic method, we will bring about more effective change within the individuals, our communities, and begin to explore the oppression and social constructs that have created this violence.
References
Capeheart, L. & Milovanovic, D. (2007). Social justice: Theories, issues, and movements. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
generationFive.org (n.d.). Transformative justice. Retrieved from http://www.generationfive.org/the-issue/transformative-justice/
Philly Stand Up! (2010). What is transformative justice. Retrieved from http://www.phillystandsup.com/tj.html
In our efforts as a society to bring an end to Teen Dating Violence, we must look at the victim as well as the perpetrator within the context of their environment. Furthermore, we must consider the effects of oppression. Using this holistic method, we will bring about more effective change within the individuals, our communities, and begin to explore the oppression and social constructs that have created this violence.
References
Capeheart, L. & Milovanovic, D. (2007). Social justice: Theories, issues, and movements. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
generationFive.org (n.d.). Transformative justice. Retrieved from http://www.generationfive.org/the-issue/transformative-justice/
Philly Stand Up! (2010). What is transformative justice. Retrieved from http://www.phillystandsup.com/tj.html