Mitigating Compoundable Victimizations in Bangladesh to Empower Victims and Strengthen Society Through Community-led Justice Approach

Abstract

This article examines the strategies employed to mitigate compounded victimization within a community-led justice framework. Community members have been influenced in various ways to meet their needs and demands. Through this study, the effectiveness of the community-led justice approach has been identified and understood by implementing research-based interventions. Victims affected by criminal victimization in the selected community served as primary respondents to achieve the study's objectives. In contrast, practitioners of the community-led justice approach were interviewed to uncover the strategies employed to address the victimization that had occurred. As a qualitative study, fifteen victims and ten practitioners were interviewed using an interview checklist (IC). Victims were engaged through a Case Study, while the practitioners were asked to share their servicing methods following the Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) approach. The offenders' reactions to their committed crimes were investigated to gain insight into society’s rules and regulations. Restorative justice is regarded as a community-led justice approach that fosters improved reconciliation models and services to resolve disputes within the community. Ethical considerations were maintained as both groups were interviewed, and the gathered data were analyzed critically. Key findings indicate that various factors, including personal demands, property-related issues, neighborhood dynamics, and relational connections, influence community members. The findings and in-depth interpretations suggest that by activating essential policies and services, community-based criminal victimization can be effectively addressed, leading to increased satisfaction and accountability from offenders.