Abstract
This paper discusses considerations for treating or evaluating sexual harassment claims in individuals with a history of complex trauma. The author reviews how a history of repeated trauma in early childhood increases risk for later victimization, including sexual harassment (Courtois & Ford, 2013; Herman, 1992). Further, she provides a brief overview of how attachment disruptions and other adverse childhood experiences (ACE) create difficulties with emotion and interpersonal regulation. She discusses how the complexity of the symptom profile provides a unique context for therapeutic intervention and evaluation, as well as the importance of staying firmly grounded in one’s role when the courts are involved (Greenberg & Shuman Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28(1), 50–57, 1997). Utilizing her more than 30 years of experience as a forensic evaluator, the author provides case material throughout the manuscript to highlight potential pitfalls and strategies for maintaining the therapeutic alliance or role as a forensic evaluator.
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Brown, L.S. Complex trauma and the question of reasonableness of response in sexual harassment cases: Issues for treatment providers and forensic evaluators. Psychol. Inj. and Law 13, 155–166 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12207-020-09378-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12207-020-09378-7