Ailbhe Griffith is an advocate for restorative justice in cases of serious violence, including sexual violence, following her own experience of a restorative meeting with the man who offended against her in 2014. She has spoken publicly about her experience, travelling domestically and internationally, accompanying Associate Professor Marie Keenan to various restorative conferences and criminal justice events. Marie and Ailbhe have worked closely together in promoting restorative justice as an additional mechanism of justice for victims of violence, since Marie assisted Ailbhe through her own restorative journey. Ailbhe is passionate about raising awareness about the benefits these meetings can offer victims of crime. Her drive to promote it as an option for victims of violence culminated in her participation in a film depiction of her real-life meeting, directed by Irish Director Alan Gilsenan, entitled ‘The Meeting’. By using the film as an advocacy tool, to bring the reality of these meetings to the wider public, she has engaged in multiple T.V., radio and other media interviews to ‘spread the word’. Her belief in the transformative nature of restorative justice is something she will hold forever and feels it should be made available for all victims of crime, regardless of the type of crime, should they choose it. Ailbhe is currently living in County Wicklow, Ireland, with her young family and works full time in the FinTech sector.
