Enough Silence

Learn how restorative justice can offer healing to survivors of sexual abuse in your faith community

Clara was five years old the first time she was raped by her father. The trauma stifled Clara’s self-esteem, ability to trust others, and emotional regulation well into adulthood. But after an encounter with a repentant man who had committed the same crime against his own daughter—through a guided victim-offender dialogue—Clara was finally able to breathe.

In Enough Silence, Cheryl Miller draws on more than two decades working with survivors of abuse to create the composite character of Clara. Her story represents countless real people in our faith communities living with a personal history of sexual trauma. Clara’s story illustrates how restorative justice practices—implemented with care—can transform the lives of survivors. These practices include

     • holding offenders accountable,

     • lending direct voice to survivors, offenders, and members of the community,

     • taking into account all those with stakes in incidents of sexual abuse,

     • clarifying the organization’s values, and

     • establishing a safe and structured environment for survivors.

She also offers a road map for implementing victim-offender dialogue, surrogate dialogue, circles, and more.

Enough Silence issues a call to pastors, clergy, nonprofit professionals, and other leaders to dismantle patriarchal systems that perpetuate rape culture. By embracing restorative justice practices, faith communities can imitate Christ in ministering to survivors and those who love them.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1: The What

          1. Searching for Justice

          2. Owning Your Stuff

          3. Understanding the Ripples of Denial

          4. Facing Fear

Part 2: The Who

          5. Moving Forward

          6. Choosing Words Wisely

          7. Understanding Power

          8. Forgiving Our Debtors

Part 3: The How

          9. Looking Ahead

Appendix: Questions to Consider