Sarai Rivera has worked in the field of victim services for over 20 years. In 2006, Sarai joined the Fairfax County Police Department and is currently a Victim Specialist and the lead Field Instructor Trainer with the Victim Services Division. As a Victim Specialist she provides direct services to victims of homicide, sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence and other violent crimes. In addition, Sarai is also responsible for managing and overseeing the training of all new staff in the Victim Services Division as well as developing and providing training to law enforcement. Sarai currently is the division representative for overseeing the Homicide Survivor Support group as well as several of workgroups involving Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse.
Prior to joining the Fairfax County Police Department, Sarai worked at the Pitt County Family Violence Program, a domestic violence program in Greenville, North Carolina. While there, she managed the Court Services Program that assisted victims of domestic violence with the civil and criminal court process, developed and supervised a certified batterer’s intervention program and supervised visitation center. Sarai’s experience also includes the Wesley Shelter, Inc., a domestic violence shelter and rape crisis center in North Carolina, first as a shelter assistant and later moving on to become a Rape Crisis Coordinator, training volunteers to respond and assist victims of sexual assault during forensic exams.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Barton College.