Social Workers as Expert Witnesses in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

I N THE PAST, social workers ap-pearing as expert witnesses in court were uncommon. However, in the 1980s, the expertise of social workers began to be recognized in several ar-eas, most notably child custody dis-putes and child abuse cases (Gothard, 1989; Lytle-Viera, 1987). One factor that has brought social workers into the courtroom as expert witnesses is the increase ofchild sexual abuse cases brought before the courts. In these cases, the child is often the only witness, and experts frequently are called on to explain to the jury the dynamics ofsexual abuse. Social work