Pioneer Victim Care Officer Ms Nur Aisyah Abdul Rahman shares about her inspiring work of supporting the victims of crime.
By: Al Cheng
In a quiet room, Ms Nur Aisyah Abdul Rahman sits with a victim of crime. She listens and offers emotional support, a comforting presence in this difficult moment...
Volunteers with the Victim Care Cadre Programme (VCCP) are known as Victim Care Officers (VCOs). They work with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) to support victims of crime (including victims of sexual crime, scams, and other serious offences) throughout the investigation process.
Launched in 2014, the VCCP deploys VCOs to provide a listening ear to victims and look out for those who may be struggling to cope in the aftermath of a crime. We caught up with Ms Nur Aisyah, one of the 15 VCOs from the pioneer batch in the VCCP, to learn more about her journey as a VCO!
Can you tell us more about yourself and what made you want to volunteer as a VCO?
I’m currently working in the healthcare sector where I collaborate with stakeholders to operationalise policies on healthcare.
I first learnt about the VCCP as a Psychology student when I did an internship with the SPF’s Police Psychological Services Division (now known as the Police Psychological Services Department) (PPSD). The PPSD Psychologists shared about the soon-to-be-launched VCCP and how it would help victims of crime. This resonated deeply with me and I decided to undergo training and become a VCO.
Over the years, a number of victims that I supported have expressed how much comfort our presence and help had brought them during their time of distress. VCOs play a neutral and comforting role, especially for those who may not be ready to share their experiences with family and friends.
I’ve been a VCO since 2014 and am glad that I have participated actively with VCCP. My journey has been fulfilling, and I’ve learned a lot from the strength, resilience and bravery of the victims themselves.
How do you help victims of crime during a session?
I try to put them at ease from the first instance of us meeting. We’re trained to build rapport and ensure victims feel safe and reassured. We may do this by addressing their physical needs, for example through gestures like offering them water or adjusting the room temperature. I also focus on speaking warmly and adapting my approach depending on the victim, in order to better address their needs throughout the session. In the session, we also provide emotional support and information on resources they may use to help them in such moments.
What’s a memorable case you’ve worked on when victims displayed strength, resilience and bravery?
There are two cases that have stayed with me, for different reasons. In my first year as a VCO, I attended to my first court case. The victim was a resilient individual who was speaking about the trauma she’d gone through following a crime that had occurred a few years earlier. She expressed that she was coping well and had moved forward with her life.
I admired her strength and fortitude in overcoming a traumatic incident during which she’d not only suffered physical effects but also psychological and emotional ones, and had to learn to trust people all over again.
Although she felt confident about speaking about her experiences at the trial, she was surprised by the emotional impact of recalling the past. There were moments where she cried and needed a break. At the end of the day, she expressed gratitude for my support, even initiating a hug to show her appreciation.
The second case involved a victim at a hospital who was inconsolable and unresponsive to the Police officers’ attempts to engage her. When my partner VCO and I met with the victim, she was in distress, crying and rocking back and forth. At one point, she became physically aggressive but the officers immediately intervened to ensure everyone’s safety.
I noticed that she calmed down when she was looking at her phone, which had a photograph of her children as the wallpaper. By asking her about her children, we were able to build rapport with her and got her to open up to us.
Can you share with us some of the personal challenges you face as a VCO when you’re activated?
One of the biggest challenges for us is uncertainty. We often don’t know the victims’ state of mind, experiences or potential triggers. There’s also uncertainty in the sense that we don’t know what the outcome of an investigation or trial might be.
This can leave us feeling like we haven’t done enough, especially when victims are facing difficult emotional or financial situations, and would lash out at us.
As VCOs, we must maintain our composure and be a reliable calming presence for victims. Cases involving sexual crime are particularly challenging as the victims may share intimate details of their traumatic experiences.
How has the VCCP evolved over the 10 years since you joined?
The VCCP has grown significantly, with over 245 VCOs now, compared to the original cohort of 15. The Programme also supports a wide range of victims and offers more resources to victims.
Initially, PPSD Psychologists guided new volunteers, but now, experienced VCOs are empowered to mentor new VCOs. We’ve also seen volunteers from diverse backgrounds stepping forward to become VCOs.
The VCCP showcases the compassionate side of Police support. Officers are now more familiar with the Programme and likely to engage us so that together, we can provide holistic support to victims, fulfilling different needs.
How do you feel about receiving the Pioneer VCO Award from the PPSD this year?
I feel old now as when I first joined the VCCP, I was still in school!
But seriously, having reflected on my VCO journey, I realise how much the Programme and I have grown. It has been a privilege to be part of this initiative, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
The VCCP has taught me how to maintain my empathy and composure in times of personal crisis, and I hope that I’ve brought some comfort to victims during their difficult times.
Victim Care Cadre Programme 10th Anniversary and Appreciation Dinner
On 2 August 2024, the PPSD celebrated the 10th anniversary of the VCCP. Among the 140 guests were Deputy Commissioners of Police, VCOs, Police leaders and officers of the investigation community, as well as partners such as the Home Team Volunteer Network, Singapore University of Social Sciences and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, among others.
At the event, the Distinguished VCO Award and Pioneer VCO Award were awarded to six VCOs, and the Active VCO Award and Inspiring VCO Award to 17 VCOs. Also unveiled at the event were the VCCP logo (which features two hearts, one representing victims of crime and the other the PPSD and VCOs) and the VCCP’s mission: “Partnering the Police to strengthen psychological care and support for victims of crime.”
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