Stories as property: Narrative ownership as a key concept in victims’ experiences with criminal justice

Abstract

This article offers a novel approach to the difficulties experienced by victims in relation to their social surroundings in general, and to justice processes in particular, by expanding on an emerging paradigm of narrative victimology. For victims, ownership of their narrative is a key element of their experience, but this ownership is contested. The article brings together a body of victimological literature drawn from social and personality psychology, criminology and sociology to illuminate mechanisms underlying possible tensions between victims’ narratives and other perspectives on their ordeal. These tensions are relevant to understanding secondary victimisation in the criminal justice processes, as well as to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of restorative justice as a possible avenue for meeting victims’ needs.

The journey of sensemaking and identity construction in the aftermath of trauma: Peer support as a vehicle for coconstruction

“…The stories reflect changes in self-understanding." The traumatic experience is therefore not just in the past but becomes interwoven with participant's ongoing lives (see also Pemberton et al, 2019a;2019b), or as found by Hourigan (2019) a "new normal." Partaking in a peer support setting then is a turning point in one's journey of identity work (Goodey, 2000).…”

Young victims’ positioning: Narrations of victimhood and support

“…According to Lerner (1980), people have an inherent need to believe in a just world. The idea is that good things happen to good people, while bad things happen to bad people, which has been described as a ‘fundamental delusion’ (see also Pemberton et al, 2018a). At its core, a victimizing event is a bad thing, which in this way of thinking means that the person, the victim, must have done something wrong.…”

“…This is a delusion because victimization can happen to anyone, and good people are not exempt from victimization just because they are good. It is upon this delusion that the victim discourse is unremittingly constructed (Lerner, 1980; Pemberton et al, 2018a).…”

“…The notion of the ideal victim (Christie, 2001) is widely criticized within the research community as being stereotypical and as not representative of a complex set of victimizing experiences (e.g. Pemberton et al, 2018a, 2018b; Van Dijk, 2009; Walklate, 2011; Walklate et al, 2018). Van Dijk (2009) argues that the term ‘victim’ derives from an understanding in Western languages of victims as religious sacrifices.…”

Restorative justice informed criminal justice social work and probation services

“…In this context, RJ is intended to restore feelings of security, self-respect, dignity and control to the victim (Morris, 2002). Pemberton, Aarten and Mulder (2018) argue that crime harms victims' sense of agency (i.e., control over their lives) and communion (i.e., relationships with others). They suggest that RJ gives people a sense of control through inviting them to co-author the narrative of the crime.…”