In this reflection from the California Senate hearing for the Survivors Act (AB 938), advocate and writer Jamie Beck explores what it means to bear witness to trauma, both personally and professionally. From vicarious trauma to nervous system care, the post offers insight, solidarity, and practical tools for those working in systems of justice, healing, and change.

An open letter to attorneys, advocates, and all who are on the front lines of justice work.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of the pause.

Not just the pause between tasks or the deep breath before a big moment, though those matter too, but the kind of pause that reorders your inner world. The kind of pause that happens when you take real space: a sabbatical, a season of rest, a long journey.

Expert witnesses in domestic violence cases play a critical role in explaining the complex realities of abuse, including trauma responses, coercive control, and counterintuitive survivor behavior. Their testimony can strengthen criminal defenses, inform custody and protective order decisions, and help courts understand abuse that isn’t always visible—leading to safer, more just outcomes for survivors.

In civil litigation involving trafficking survivors, expert witnesses are essential to explaining trauma’s impact on memory, behavior, and decision-making. They help clarify survivor experiences, support damages claims, and educate judges and juries about the realities of coercion and exploitation—ensuring survivors are more accurately understood and justly represented throughout the legal process.

In criminal cases involving human trafficking survivors, expert witnesses play a critical role in explaining complex survivor behaviors, identifying coercive control, and contextualizing forced criminality. Early involvement of a qualified expert can inform defense strategy, educate judges and juries, and support motions for vacatur or post-conviction relief—leading to more just, survivor-centered outcomes.

Coercive control—psychological abuse through manipulation, isolation, and domination—is often hidden yet deeply relevant in legal cases across family law, criminal defense, immigration, and beyond. This article explains what coercive control is, where it shows up, why it matters legally, and how attorneys can better recognize and respond to it. Understanding these dynamics is critical to advocating for survivors and ensuring just outcomes.