RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Expert Testimony in Sex Trafficking Cases JF Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online JO J Am Acad Psychiatry Law FD American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law SP 212 OP 220 DO 10.29158/JAAPL.210051-21 VO 50 IS 2 A1 Tianyi Zhang A1 Vivek Datta YR 2022 UL http://jaapl.org/content/50/2/212.abstract AB In the courtroom, the credibility of sex trafficking survivors is often called into question. Particularly of interest are the survivors’ complex behaviors and reactions, which may be misunderstood as being incongruent with claims that they were sex trafficked. Expert testimony may be essential to help the trier of fact understand the seemingly counterintuitive behavior of trafficking survivors. This article describes current laws against sex trafficking and challenges to prosecution arising from common misconceptions about survivors. We summarize clinical research on the mental health sequelae of sex trafficking. We review published judicial opinions that describe the use of expert testimony in sex trafficking prosecutions. Our case review shows that forensic psychiatrists are infrequently used as experts in this setting. Forensic psychiatrists, particularly those with expertise in traumatic stress or sex trafficking, can play an important role in explaining how trauma and psychopathology can cause survivors to recant testimony, be reluctant to engage, or respond in other ways that weaken their perceived credibility. Forensic psychiatrists can also assess for treatment needs to calculate restitution for trafficking survivors more accurately.