Restorative Justice advocate promotes forgiveness and friendship

The Kootenay Advertiser's KERSTIN RENNER reports on a recent presentation by Katy Hutchison of Victoria, who shared the story of the brutal murder of her first husband and her way of finding a gift in that tragedy.

"It's about building safe communities," Hutchison told the audience. "It's about justice." Hutchison talked about something that might be unbelievable for most people: forgiving the man who killed your husband. Not only has Hutchison forgiven, in fact, she has invited Ryan Aldridge to share in her presentation about the importance of choices, responsibility and justice.

Together, they paint a very clear picture not only of what happened on New Year's Eve 1997, but also what led to the tragedy and how both of them - victim and offender - have worked through the healing process together.

It started with first, carefully planned meetings and has ended in a presentation the two are touring across the country, to schools and communities to share the message that restorative justice - when victims and offenders get together in a setting outside of the courts - can lead to healing and even friendship.