Our current membership stands at 11. We are not reservists, but are all volunteers who live in or around the Parkview Precinct. All volunteers undergo specific Victim Support training and no previous experience is necessary.
Our main function is trauma intervention.
We work within the boundaries of the Parkview Precinct and are called to the scene of a crime by the Parkview police where we assist the victims by calming them, supporting them and dealing with practical matters such as phoning family members, calling a locksmith, stopping bank cards, cell phones and explaining police procedure. This is done as soon after the incident as possible.
Trauma debriefing, however, is best done 3 to 6 days after the event as this is the most beneficial time for councilling intervention. The Unit does not offer long tem counselling, but refers victims to professionals for further counselling or debriefing.
At a scene we will spend much time talking to victims, getting them to retell the story of their "incident" and helping them identify and be aware of the emotional and physical after effects that trauma can produce.
The types of scenes at which we assist are robberies, hijackings, assaults, domestic violence, rapes, murders, natural deaths, delivery of death messages, drownings, some road accidents, lost children and ID parades.
We also assist the police at events such as Jazz on the Lake and some emergency situations.
During the Xenophobia of 2008 we collected a massive amount of clothing, food and blankets from the community and helped distribute these to some of the Police Stations sheltering the recent refugees. Some of us were also involved in helping at the newly established refugee camps, talking to people and registering mothers and babies.
Current Status