From the New York Times, a remarkable short video here about an Iranian woman who was doused with acid by a rejected suitor and then won the right to blind him as he blinded her. I can’t put into words how this video made me feel (at least, not right at this moment). FYI, to view this video, click the title of this post and then the hyperlink will appear in the text.
In the print story, the victim is quoted as saying: “I regret my decision to forgive my attacker. My family and I feel relieved, but I feel guilty about later acid attacks. I think that if I had not pardoned my attacker, maybe there would not be more victims.”
It is incredibly sad to me that this victim should feel in any way responsible for other victims who suffer a similar crime. I think this aspect of giving the victim power to decide the fate of her offender is something that isn’t often considered. It is all the more difficult in crimes where victims might already feel responsible in some way for what happened to them (although, of course, we know they are not).
This is such a tough story on so many levels and so very thought provoking. Thanks again Jen for posting it!
I’ve watched the video a few times now, trying to figure out what it says about forgiveness. So often we think that forgiveness = enlightened transformation, and it’s useful to see here that the offender isn’t always grateful or transformed (at least in the moment). She says that she regretted pardoning him–that was one of the most painful moments of the video for me–but I hope that ultimately she is able to feel a sense of closure and empowerment from what she did, separate from his response.
I still have a sick feeling in my stomach from watching the video. Incredibly powerful, thought-provoking but ultimately confusing and unsatsifying (the events, not the video itself). I agree with Cynthia – there are no answers for victims of senseless crimes. That is why they are senseless…
I watched this last night too–incredibly powerful. The complexity of victim involvement in the punishment of their perpetrators is on full display. Thank you so much for sharing. I will definitely use it next year in my Restorative Justice class.
Jen, thanks for posting. I read the article in the NY Times about this case but it didn’t come anywhere close to having the impact of this short film. One of the recurring criticisms of our criminal justice system is that victims don’t have a voice in the punishment of the offender. This film provides an example of how incredibly complex it is to give victims that power–and how at the end of the day the victim may not feel better for having made a choice (regardless of what that choice is). It is a reminder of how there are no easy answers in the face of a horrible crime that cannot be reversed (as happened to this victim).