Eliminating Bias Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Survivors

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Course Details
- smart_display Format
Live Online with Live Q&A
- signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level
Intermediate
- work Practice Area
Ethics and Specialty Credits
- event Date
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
- schedule Time
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
- timer Program Length
90 minutes
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This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
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Live Online
On Demand
This CLE will educate attorneys on eliminating bias within the legal system against survivors of domestic and sexual violence, with a focus on understanding victim psychology and applying trauma‑informed legal practices. The panel will discuss how unconscious biases and damaging stereotypes affect survivor credibility and case outcomes.
Faculty

Ms. Beck, J.D. is the owner of Justice with Humanity, a boutique consulting firm that focuses on supporting attorneys, law firms and organizations working with survivors of human trafficking, domestic and sexual violence and child abuse. Justice with Humanity provides expert witness services, organizational support and training and education on a variety of subjects including human trafficking and trauma-informed practices. She has over fourteen years of experience as a legal professional. Prior to launching Justice with Humanity, Ms. Beck served as the President & Managing Attorney of Free to Thrive, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the unmet legal needs of human trafficking survivors. Under her leadership, Free to Thrive helped hundreds of survivors access the legal system. Ms. Beck has represented survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, child abuse and sexual violence in a variety of legal cases including criminal vacatur (P.C. 236.14), domestic violence restraining orders, divorce, child custody, victim’s rights representation and name changes. She also cultivated strategic partnerships with over 100 organizations locally and nationally. Ms. Beck currently serves as an Adjunct Lecturer in Law at USC Gould School of Law and Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, teaching an interdisciplinary course on “Trauma-Informed Legal Skills” with clinical psychologist Dr. Remi Greenbaum. She has trained thousands of attorneys, judges, students, law enforcement professionals, stakeholders and community members on human trafficking, domestic violence and trauma-informed practices.

Mr. Guilds’ practice focuses on intellectual property, product and trade channel integrity, complex products liability litigation, white collar criminal defense, internal company compliance, and victim’s rights. He has significant expertise addressing a variety of compliance and business integrity initiatives, including anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, supply chain security, FCPA compliance, and Know Your Business Partner (KYBP) initiatives. Mr. Guilds leverages his extensive experience implementing brand protection strategies to provide cutting-edge, practical advice to clients seeking to mitigate the legal and reputational risks associated with in-house and external investigative programs. He regularly advises clients working with prosecutors and law enforcement to protect business intellectual property rights and has global experience implementing supply chain and brand protection, investigative, and trade policy programs in support of companies and their products.
Description
Domestic violence and sexual assault survivors confront substantial barriers to justice notwithstanding years of advocacy. Survivors face "credibility discounting" from judges, jurors, and even attorneys, questioning why they stayed with or returned to an abuser, or why their narratives appear non‑linear or unemotional.
Survivors endure secondary victimization within the legal system itself, where disbelief, victim‑blaming, or culturally insensitive practices exacerbate original trauma. Trauma bonding, neurobiological response, and the dynamics of coercive control challenge how survivors may engage with justice partners. Unconscious bias against women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, and low‑income survivors act to magnify these challenges.
Listen as our expert panel discusses the psychological impact of trauma, the persistence of myths and stereotypes, and the practical tools attorneys can use to combat and prevent bias within the system against survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Attendees will gain access to national resources and actionable tools to integrate trauma‑informed advocacy into their practice.
Outline
I. Introduction and background
A. Biases against DV/SA survivors: credibility discounting, gendered stereotyping
II. Victim psychology and trauma dynamics
A. Trauma neurobiology
B. Trauma bonding
C. Secondary victimization
III. Common myths and biases: getting beyond “Why didn’t they leave?”
A. Connection to unconscious biases
B. Intersectional biases: communities of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, low-income
IV. Trauma-informed legal practice
A. Frameworks, techniques, and new approaches
B. Interviewing, evidence gathering, etc.
C. Addressing credibility (memory gaps, flat-affect, non-linear narratives)
D. Using expert testimony
V. Resources, conclusion with Q&A
Benefits
The panel will discuss these and other key issues:
- Understanding trauma neurobiology and how abuse impacts survivor memory, behavior, and demeanor in the legal process
- Understanding survivor behaviors in context
- Addressing unconscious and intersectional biases
- Practical advice on enhancing evidence gathering, conducting trauma-informed interviews, minimizing re-traumatization, and promoting client trust and cooperation
- Courtroom techniques for credibility challenges using expert testimony
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Eliminating Bias Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Survivors
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