Confronting the Harm in Bolivia
Working with offenders of homicide and manslaughter, PF Bolivia’s second Sycamore Tree Project® course dealt with strong emotions related to grief, guilt and taking responsibility. It also proved to be a journey of changed thinking for many. Early in the course, one facilitator reported her surprise as many of the participants seemed to focus on themselves and their families as the victims although their crimes had a clearly identifiable victim. Yet, the situation changed as the daughter of a murder victim shared her story.
The nineteen-year old woman explained how her father was attacked by drunken passengers from a taxi with which his truck had collided. They threw rocks and punches causing him to suffer a severe brain injury leading to his death. In describing the incident, the young woman talked about the pain of not being able to say goodbye, the guilt she felt for not being with her father on the day he was attacked, the economic strains faced by her family after his death, and the failure of the justice system to support her family.
Stunned by her story, the prisoner participants offered their support and encouragement to the victim. The impact of this interaction was evident as the prisoner participants shared their reflections at the celebration event closing the course. One prisoner said that he never thought about how he would have felt if it had been his father who was murdered and the victim’s story helped him confront the harm he caused to the family of the man her murdered. Several expressed a desire to meet with the families of their victims to apologize and ask for forgiveness.
