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Waysider, on those restorative justice schemes, one of the requirements is to have to face the victim(s) and be told exactly what the effects on the victim have been. Restorative justice shows offenders that all of their activities affect others and >>they themselves<< are responsible for their choices and actions and can be held accountable for them. It's all done in a carefully controlled environment. Both/all parties have to agree, and there are trained counsellors / facilitators and a lot of support for the victim. The offender can't answer back, has to be quiet and listen, and not try to "justify" the offending behaviour. There's no physical contact (the vic can't beat the offender up!) It isn't suitable for all offences, particularly those involving domestic or sexual violence, and a careful risk assessment needs to be done, to safeguard the victim from further harm. Offenders who have been through the process often find it horrendous and may prefer to go to prison. Having to face the victim(s) makes their crime all the more real and forces the crims to see their victims as real people with real feelings and emotions. They have to face the anger, the hurt, the - whatever - of their victims. The victims find an opportunity to vent and often feel they have some "justice," where the sterile court system often makes them feel powerless, just a cog and not a person. If this abusive "minister" can't face his victims, he's gonna have an awfully hard time explaining himself to Jesus Christ - whose name he has taken in vain and used to abuse these young women. Jesus as principal victim isn't going to be all lovey-dovey about it.