What is one thing you have learned from working with victims of crime in the criminal justice system? Share an experience that has shaped your understanding of their needs and perspectives.

One key insight I've gained as a forensic psychologist working with crime victims is the profound variability in trauma responses--there is no "right" way to react. Some victims of rape or assault may express intense anger. In contrast, others dissociate or minimize their pain, and those robbed or burglarized might fixate on violated trust rather than material loss. This has reshaped my understanding that victims' needs are deeply individual; the justice system must avoid imposing expectations on how someone "should" feel or behave. Adequate support requires validating each person's unique coping process, whether they seek retribution, healing, or to be heard without judgment. Witnessing this spectrum has reinforced that trauma is not just the crime itself, but the struggle to reclaim agency in a system that often overlooks the emotional complexity of victimization.