18th Annual Clery Lecture Series - Restorative Justice for Sexual Harm: Why I Fought for a Circle, Not a Courtroom
Join Being Barnard and the Clery Interns for the 18th Annual Clery Lecture Series. The Clery Interns explored healing over a lifetime and different paths to justice this year. One of the pathways is restorative justice. “Restorative justice is not just a set of practices, it is a way of thinking about and approaching crime or harm” (Williamsen and Wessell, 2023).
In 2019, Marlee's sexual assault case became the first in North America to conclude with restorative justice through the courts. She fought for the man who raped her to go to therapy instead of criminal trial and eventually, they met in an 8-hour restorative circle. In this program, Marlee takes a vulnerable and educational approach to talking about this alternative to the punitive system. The focus throughout the program is to create a vision of justice that is synonymous with healing. In an environment rooted in hope and empowerment, listeners learn about this justice pathway that breaks cycles of harm and ignites cycles of healing.
By the end of this event, participants will be able to:
- Define restorative justice as an additional means to formal processes/alternative resolution in place to support survivors;
- Examine how restorative justice frameworks can provide a path to healing for survivors of sexual violence and tool for accountability for those who have caused harm within the college community;
- Examine what justice could look like outside of the courts/punitive punishment structure;
- Identify restorative justice as a framework intertwined with prevention education;
- Identify resources and avenues available to empower survivors and explore their options for justice, and how to put survivors at the center of their recovery and decision-making;
- Implement foundational strategies for preventing sexual violence, and caring for our friends/loved ones/community members who have been harmed.
Date: April 11, 2024
Time: 6:30 pm (EST)
Location: Virtual
About the Speaker
Marlee Liss (she/her) is a somatic educator, author, social worker and sparkle-loving queer Jewish feminist. She made history in the justice system when her sexual assault case became the 1st in North America to conclude with restorative justice through the courts. Since then, she has supported thousands in learning trauma-informed pleasure and inclusive consent education. Marlee's work has been featured in Forbes, Huff Post, Buzzfeed, the Mel Robbins Show and more. As an award-winning speaker, she's delivered talks for: National Sexual Assault Conference, Vanderbilt University, University of Toronto, Trauma & Recovery Conference, Women's Mental Health Conference at Yale and more. Marlee was 1 of 25 survivors on an elite panel for the National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence informing federal policy and her story is currently being made into a documentary directed by Kelsey Darragh. Learn more at marleeliss.com or follow @marleeliss
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