Many survivors have shared that the criminal legal system does not meet their needs.

Survivors have told us that engaging with police and courts can be retraumatizing, inaccessible, and, ultimately, not aligned with what justice means to them. Many survivors never report. Many who do, are left without the sense of accountability and healing they were seeking.

And you may be wondering what other options exist, or what justice could look like.

We are creating space to explore those questions together.

You’re invited to join a Restorative Listening Circle.

We are inviting survivors, support workers, and community members to join us in this next step.

These circles are a place to:

• reflect on what justice means to you
• share experiences or questions (as much or as little as you want)

You do not need to have experience with restorative or transformative justice, and there will be curated spaces for those who have.

You do not need to have answers. We are coming together with questions, curiosity, and a shared commitment to imagining something different.

Because if we are going to build alternatives to the criminal legal system, they must be shaped by the people most impacted.

What we hear in these circles will help shape future resources, supports, and pathways for survivors who are considering different approaches to justice. 

• Why We Began this Work
• What We Learned
• What Comes Next: Starting with Listening
• Why Listening Circles
• What We Hope to Build

If you’re curious, you are welcome here. Join a Listening Circle.

Why We Began This Work

From 2020–2023, we embarked on a pilot project called Reimagining Justice (RJ).

Our goal was to explore whether it was possible to offer non-punitive, survivor-centred pathways to accountability and approaches informed by transformative and restorative justice, but grounded in our reality as a sexual violence support centre.

We knew from the beginning that this work would be complex.

Transformative justice (TJ), as it exists in community, is built on relationships, trust, and collective responsibility. It was never meant to be contained within institutions. And yet, we also knew that many survivors don’t have access to the community resources, capacity, or support systems needed to navigate these processes on their own.

So we asked: What is possible from where we stand?

What We Learned

Over three years, we worked directly with survivors, tested approaches, and reflected deeply on what worked, and what didn’t.

One of our most important learnings was this; we cannot simply “offer transformative justice” within an institution. We have to do something different.

We learned that:

• Holding an RJ or TJ program inside a Sexual Assault Centre wasn’t going to allow us to focus wholly on the survivors; it required us to focus on other parties interests as well. It would move us away from being survivor centered.
• Accountability processes can be high-barrier and emotionally demanding
• Survivors need time, information, and support to even decide what justice means to them
• There is a significant gap in accessible knowledge and preparation for alternatives to the criminal legal system for sexual assault survivors
• Many survivors and those who support them, want to explore alternative options, but don’t know where to begin

We also learned that before expanding alternative justice processes, we need to focus on something more foundational; building collective understanding and capacity.

What Comes Next: Starting with Listening

As we move into the next phase of this work, we are not starting with a program.
We are starting with listening. We are launching a series of Restorative Listening Circles as part of our continued Reimagining Justice work.

These circles are not about asking people to step into accountability processes.

They are about creating space to:

• explore what justice means
• share experiences and questions
• build understanding of alternatives to the criminal legal system
• begin developing the tools and knowledge needed to navigate those options
• practice ways of being accountable with ourselves and each other

Why Listening Circles?

Through our pilot, we saw a clear need for something that doesn’t yet exist in accessible ways:

Preparation. In our Victim Services work, we support survivors who choose to engage with the criminal legal system by helping them understand what to expect, explore their options, and make informed decisions.

But when it comes to alternatives, restorative or transformative approaches, this kind of preparation is largely missing.

These listening circles are part of changing that. Our goal is to ensure that the legal education and resources we develop moving forward are grounded in the real needs, questions, and experiences of survivors and those who support them.

What We Hope to Build

This is not just about conversation, it is about shaping the next phase of our work.

What we learn through these circles will directly inform the development of:

• accessible legal education about alternatives to the criminal legal system
• tools and resources for survivors and communities
• capacity-building supports for those navigating accountability outside of court

We want to help create a future where survivors who are considering different paths to justice are:

• informed
• supported
• prepared
• and not alone in the process

Thank you for considering being part of this work with us.