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Ms Sharina Binte Sharuddin doesn’t remember every detail of her first case, but she remembers how she felt.
“I was very nervous from the moment I accepted the activation,” she says. “I didn’t know what to expect. But I thought, just say yes. Don’t let the nervousness drag me down.”
That small moment of courage became the turning point for everything that followed. As a Victim Care Officer (VCO) under the Singapore Police Force’s (SPF) Victim Care Cadre Programme (VCCP), Ms Sharina has supported victims in police stations and courtrooms, all while juggling a full-time job and postgraduate studies.
A Calling Rooted in Care
Ms Sharina’s path into victim care began years earlier. Back then, she was a case worker at a children’s home, working with youths from challenging backgrounds, many of whom had parents or guardians who’d gone through the criminal justice system.
“These youths often showed behaviours that were concerning,” she shares, “and I wanted to understand those behaviours better, to help them. That’s how I found my way to forensic psychology.”
In 2024, Ms Sharina embarked on a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Through the course, she learned about the VCCP, a scheme that trains volunteers to provide emotional and psychological support to victims of crime, working in tandem with Investigation Officers and the SPF’s Police Psychological Services Department (PPSD).
Joining the VCCP proved to be an eye-opening experience for Ms Sharina: “It was exactly the kind of work I wanted to do – to be there for people in their moment of need.”
Training for the Frontlines
VCOs undergo a rigorous selection and training process. Over three days, volunteers take classes in theory, take part in role-playing exercises and go through assessments to equip them with basic coping skills, psychological first aid techniques and crisis intervention skills.
Ms Sharina found the entire process challenging, especially the assessments. “It was nerve-wracking,” she recalls, “but I didn’t just want to pass; I wanted to excel. Working directly with victims is a big responsibility.”
The in-depth training by the PPSD prepared her to step into unfamiliar situations, listen without judgment and respond with care. But, as she quickly discovered, real-life cases rarely follow a script.
Holding Space, Not the Answers
“Victim care is different from counselling,” Ms Sharina explains. “It’s not about diving into a comprehensive case history but offering someone support in the immediate aftermath of trauma.”
When activated to provide support, Ms Sharina arrives early to allow herself at least five minutes of quiet, to centre herself before meeting a victim. “Sometimes I’m deployed straight from work,” she explains, “and that short pause helps me enter the right headspace.”
After meeting her VCO partner onsite, they will take a moment to align themselves before speaking to the victim. “We go at the victim’s pace,” she shares, “and let them decide what they’re comfortable sharing. The space is theirs for that moment. Sometimes, people just need to talk through what happened; to process things out loud. We’re there to help with that.”
Ms Sharina recalls the first time she supported a young victim through a court trial. “She was crying, anxious and afraid,” she recalls. “But we were there for her through the whole trial. Just being there, walking with her through that process.”
Experiences like these have taught her the power of inner strength: “The victims who leave a deep impression on me are the ones who, despite everything, are strong enough to move forward. Some even want to use their stories to help others.”
Care for the Caregiver
Providing emotional support can be draining for Ms Sharina, especially when working full-time at a non-governmental organisation and studying. Peer support is a pillar of her routine; after each activation, she conducts a debrief with her VCO partner. She also attends regular supervisory sessions and knows she can turn to the PPSD team when needed.
Through the PPSD’s CARE (Compassion, Appreciation, Recognition, Empowerment) Framework, VCOs also receive mental health support, continuous training and an affirmation of their efforts.
A New Understanding of Policing
Before joining the VCCP, Ms Sharina had assumed that victim support was largely something that community organisations managed, rather than a vital function of the Police.
“I didn’t know this kind of support for victims existed within the SPF,” she says. “As VCOs, we help victims recover from the harm of crime, while also enabling them to support officers in their investigations.”
Ms Sharina’s work with the VCCP has also shaped her professional goals: “It’s crystallised what I want to do, which is working with both victims and offenders, and doing so with empathy, compassion, and respect. If you want to be there for others during moments that matter, then being a VCO is worth doing. You’ll learn so much, not just about others, but about yourself.”
Learn more about the VCCP here, and test your knowledge with Ms Sharina on how well you know the VCCP!
