Community Restorative Framework

In 2023, SoundCheck Aotearoa began developing a resource to help the music community deal with the ripple out effects of sexual harm in workplaces and community spaces.

The Community Restorative Framework (CRF), currently in development, will be a short, practical resource designed to support music workplaces, organisations, and communities to navigate complex situations following sexual harm.

It will provide a structured way for individuals, groups, businesses, communities, and organisations to think through difficult topics including:

• Whether to work with someone who has done harm or been accused

• What accountability, restorative, or rehabilitative options are available

• The safe reintroduction and reintegration of individuals who have done harm

• How to support and address safety concerns of staff and team members who have contact with an accused party in a safe, survivor-informed way.

The framework would not offer a single outcome, but instead offer clear guiding questions to help people make informed, survivor-informed decisions that prioritise safety and wellbeing for all parties involved.

Why a framework is needed

Our community has identified a clear need for practical guidance to support decision-making after sexual harm has occurred. SoundCheck Aotearoa has received multiple enquiries from across the music sector about how to respond to complex situations.

These situations often involve interconnected decisions, such as whether and how individuals who have done harm may be safely reintroduced, how accountability for past behaviour should be addressed, and whether it is appropriate to continue working with someone who has done or been accused of harm. They also require careful consideration of how to support people who have been harmed and others affected, how to encourage healthier behaviour, and determine the role of public apologies or statements.

In some cases, decisions may involve restorative or rehabilitative options, as well as practical considerations such as booking artists where a band member has been accused of harm, managing awards or ongoing professional relationships, and addressing safety concerns for staff who may come into contact with an individual who has done harm.

These issues can have wide-reaching impacts across individuals, teams, and workplaces. The CRF is being developed to support clearer and more consistent decision-making, provide a shared community framework to these difficult conversations, and help our music community respond in ways that prioritises safety, care, and accountability.

Survivor-centric approach

The Community Restorative Framework is designed to take a survivor‑centred approach including prompts to ensure that the needs, views, and safety of the person who has experienced harm are carefully considered. This may include whether appropriate contact with the survivor has been made, how such engagement can occur safely, and whether the survivor’s wishes are understood and respected.

While prioritising consideration of the survivor, the framework also recognises that responsibility does not sit with one individual. It encourages all members of a workplace or community to consider their role in responding to harm and supporting safer and healthier workplace environments.