Jena Malone has bravely shared her story of sexual assault in the film industry. On Tuesday, the 38-year-old actress opened up about her experience on Instagram and revealed how she has used restorative justice to help her heal.
Malone is best known for playing Johanna Mason in “The Hunger Games” film series. In an Instagram post, she shared a photo of herself in France after wrapping the final film. She explained that while in Paris she was going through a difficult time and was sexually assaulted by someone she worked with.
“I wish it wasn’t tied to such a traumatic event for me but that is the real wildness of life [I] guess. How to hold the chaos with the beauty. I’ve worked very hard to heal and learn thru restorative justice, how to make peace with the person who violated me and make peace with myself,” Malone wrote on Instagram.
Restorative justice is a process in which victims communicate with their offender to explain the impact of the assault. It is a way for victims to be heard and for offenders to learn from their mistakes. Malone has not revealed the identity of her offender, but said that she has used this process to help her heal.
When asked about her restorative justice process, Malone said that she had done research online to learn about it. She also said that she wanted to find an alternative to “cancel culture” and that she felt the criminal justice system could not fully repair her healing.
In the same post, Malone also offered support to other survivors, saying her healing process has been “slow and non linear.”
The actress has received an outpouring of support from her fans and from those in the industry. Willow Shields, who played Jennifer Lawrence’s onscreen sister, Primrose Everdeen, was among those who responded in the comments section.
“This post has me at a loss of words. I understand and I hope that though the process is so slow you are okay Jena,” she wrote.
Malone’s story is an important reminder of the prevalence of sexual assault in the film industry and the importance of restorative justice in helping survivors heal. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is here for survivors 24/7 with free, anonymous help.
