ABSTRACT
Why would a victim of crime ever be interested in having a conversation with the person who seriously harmed him or her? If restorative justice (RJ) seems to be such a beneficial experience, why would some victims refuse to take part in it? May the offer of mediation be traumatic or experienced negatively by some victims? How and when should the offer of mediation be made? These are some of the recurrent questions that appear when the topic of victim participation in RJ is discussed among practitioners or academics. This chapter aims to offer some insights into these questions and provide directions that could help in understanding this phenomenon.
