Victim-Centered VOD Training Overview for Program Administrators
Though the lives of many victims/survivors of violence have been devastated, these survivors have enormous capacity for healing and moving forward with strength and purpose. And though the trauma and PTSD some survivors contend with are life sentences of their own, victim offender dialogue (VOD) can offer a new sense of healing and justice for some. Facilitator trainings are available in a range of experiential opportunities in a rigorously victim-centered framework. VOD between victims/survivors and incarcerated offenders in such serious and violent crimes as murder, sexual assault, armed robbery and other deep violation and loss has been going on for more than a decade in this country. These dialogues are not simply conversations, of course, but complex interactions following a delicate preparation process with a trained facilitator. The victims/survivors who choose VOD often find in this process a way to express some of their pain, and to get answers to questions only the offenders in their cases can provide. At the same time, properly prepared offenders begin to grasp a more personal understanding of the terrible impacts of what they have done, and what personal accountability is.
While there are a number of approaches to facilitated VOD, the JUST Alternatives approach is the Victim-Centered VOD model, which basically assumes that requests for dialogue are initiated by the victims/survivors, and – in any case – absolutely insists that the preparation and dialogue process remain unassailably “anchored” in addressing the needs of those victims/survivors. On the other hand, because the preparation work of VOD requires the cooperation – and trust – of the incarcerated offender, the facilitator must also be able to apply a high degree of understanding and sensitivity to offender issues, since without that trust a successful dialogue outcome will be much less certain.
The VOD preparation process can take many months of conversation and self-reflection, especially with offenders who are far removed from their feelings – or who still fail to grasp the impacts of their crimes or understand personal accountability. And VOD can carry a risk for emotionally re-victimizing victims/survivors if the whole process is not facilitated with wisdom and great care. Facilitating the preparation with the requisite sensitivity to the issues of victims and offenders requires that facilitators possess, in addition to experience and understanding, a unique combination of attributes including self-awareness, the ability to listen deeply, and a capacity for empathy and tenacious support. While these attributes are usually more intuitive than learned, skills and abilities can be enhanced through trainings, and a number of experienced facilitator trainers around the country offer different levels of trainings.
JUST Alternatives Victim-Centered VOD Facilitator Trainings are available in a range of experiential opportunities for awareness-building and skills development in a rigorously victim-centered framework. Our trainings can be configured to match your agency’s needs – from one-day introductions for corrections and victim service administrators to two-, four-, and six-day experiential trainings for facilitators (including focused trainings on VOD and alternative options in sexual assault and domestic assault cases), as well as one-day workshops for incarcerated offenders on victim awareness and accountability. If you’d like further information, or wish to discuss these and other ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact us.