BEST Restorative Alternative Response
Alternative REsponse to sexual misconduct on campuses
Men As Peacemakers (MAP) is committed to supporting campus partners to provide workplace and educational environments that are free from discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence, and which uphold the inherent dignity of all members of each campus community.
The BEST Restorative Alternative Program was created in response to a request by survivors and community-based advocates for an alternative educational program aimed at helping respondents (both students and faculty): identify the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that led them to cause harm; take responsibility for the harm they caused; modify their choices and actions so they do not cause this harm again.
This resource integrates restorative practices with primary prevention strategies, and guides participants through five (5) one-on-one sessions that can take place in-person or virtually, and which are adaptable to the specific circumstances and needs of each participant.
Curriculum outline
The goal the Best Restorative Alternative Response Program is to create the conditions that facilitate a process of growth and accountability. Participants progress through three distinct phases:
Phase 1 – Building Connection
This phase focuses on building trust and connection with the participant, creating an open environment and asking questions that will elicit honest responses, as well as modeling healthy forms of relationship and communication .
Phase 2 - Locating Yourself within Community
This phase focuses on helping participants understand that they do not exist in isolation, but are connected to the broader community through their relationships. Participants will also begin to recognize how their choices impact others.
Phase 3 – Adapting Behavior to Match Values
This phase guides participants through a process of identifying tangible ways they can change their behavior and approach to getting their needs met while respecting the needs and boundaries of others.