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E85: Reimagining Justice | Marlee Liss on Restorative Justice, Survivor Autonomy, and Healing Beyond the Courtroom - Advocacy in Action
Description
In this episode of Aspire, host Chessy Prout is joined by interns Kylie L. and Sienna L. for a conversation with survivor advocate, somatic educator, and founder of Survivors 4 Justice Reform, Marlee Liss.
Marlee shares how her sexual assault case became one of the first in North America to reach a restorative justice outcome through the criminal legal system. She explains how the traditional court process left her feeling dehumanized, while restorative justice offered a survivor-centered path focused on accountability, healing, and meaningful answers.
The conversation explores what restorative justice can look like in practice, therapy, facilitated dialogue, circles, letters, compensation, or community accountability, and emphasizes that justice is not one-size-fits-all. Marlee discusses her global coalition, Survivors 4 Justice Reform, which advocates for options beyond the carceral system and works to make alternative pathways visible and accessible, especially for marginalized survivors.
Marlee also introduces a somatic practice: to notice, trust, value, and communicate, to help survivors reconnect with their true selves, and identify their needs. She reflects on the risks of public storytelling, her upcoming memoir If I Had Known Then, and her vision for a future in which every survivor can experience justice that is healing and survivor-centered.
To learn more about Marlee Liss and Survivors 4 Justice Reform, visit https://www.survivors4justicereform.com/
To learn more about Marlee's upcoming memoir, If I Had Known Then, visit https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/800053/if-i-had-known-then-by-marlee-liss/
To learn more about I Have the Right To’s educational programming, visit https://ihavetherightto.org/
Aspire is produced by BenHudakProductions.com