Natasha Sharan - Criminology graduate

“As an advocate against DV (domestic violence) and IPV (intimate partner violence), I constantly help Indo-Fijian women who were DV victims. I grew up hearing about and seeing my parents help DV victims in my community, but once I started my undergraduate studies, I struggled to find research articles on women from my own ethnic community.

“Postgraduate study allowed me to lean into and push the boundaries of research in the area I was working in with the potential to bring about real-world change.

“Apart from being the first from my Indo-Fijian immigrant family to have the opportunity to undertake postgraduate studies, I had amazing undergraduate and honours-level lecturers and tutors. They were open and honest about the work we had to put in, using their own experiences to find solutions for their students.

“During my study, I had the opportunity to debate, present, and work in a team and individually in a safe and supportive environment. This helped me develop key skills like interpersonal communication, analytical thinking, and time management. Being able to communicate ideas and complex processes with often tight deadlines, especially with different people from all walks of life, is so essential.

“I now help victims of crime navigate the court system. Coming to court and understanding court processes can be overwhelming for the public, let alone victims and their whānau who are involuntarily part of the process. Court Victim Advisors help by making court information more accessible for victims. This can range from explaining legal and court terms to putting victims in touch with community-based safety support.

“We also provide court education for victims who are called as witnesses. We liaise and work alongside police, family violence and specialist organisations, restorative justice providers and the court registry staff to ensure the overall court experience is safe and efficient for victims.

“My interactions with victims of crime keep me passionate about the work I do. The confidence and bravery I get to witness every day when victims and their support people participate in the court process is a definite highlight of my role. It is a privilege to be able to help people in my wider community, and to see victims of crime be empowered by the work I do.

“Keep your future career in mind when deciding on doing your postgraduate study. While studying I was surrounded by like-minded peers, which helped me set goals of where I want to be in the future within my area of interest. Also, take the leap. It may seem like a big commitment, but there are so many resources available for postgraduate students at the University to help you on your way if you ever get stuck.”