Sexual Violence and Trauma Informed Legal Interactions

The experience of disclosing and discussing sexual violence can be extremely retraumatizing for survivors. Common approaches used by lawyers in legal interviewing and in providing legal services can unintentionally make this process even more challenging and upsetting, and can expose survivors to further harms. Striking a balance between offering a client centered, compassionate experience for survivors and the need to elicit relevant information in order to provide helpful legal advice can be difficult for lawyers.

In this session we will discuss some basic strategies for employing a more trauma informed, empathetic, and empowering approach to legal interviewing and to providing legal services for sexual violence survivors.