Survivor-Informed Expertise in Human Trafficking, Grooming & Victim Behavior
Sheri Lopez provides expert witness consultation and testimony in matters involving human trafficking, grooming with the intent to exploit, victim behavior, coercive control, and exploitation dynamics.
As a survivor who was groomed at age 15 and trafficked for seven years, Sheri brings lived-experience expertise to complex behaviors and circumstances that may be difficult to understand without specialized knowledge of trafficking and grooming dynamics.
Her role is to help courts and legal professionals better understand the patterns, behaviors, manipulation, and control that can occur before and during exploitation.
Areas of Expertise
Sheri's areas of professional focus include:
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Grooming with the intent to exploit
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Grooming patterns and progression
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Trafficking and exploitation dynamics
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Victim behavior and responses to exploitation
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Psychological and emotional manipulation
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Coercion, dependency, fear, and control
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Delayed disclosure and nondisclosure
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Why a victim may maintain contact with an exploiter
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Why a victim may return to or defend an exploiter
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Trauma-informed and survivor-informed context
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Offender tactics and pattern recognition
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Early indicators of grooming and exploitation
Expert Witness Services
Sheri is available to provide survivor-informed expertise to attorneys and legal teams through:
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Case consultation
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Case material review
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Expert witness testimony
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Deposition testimony
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Survivor-informed analysis of grooming and trafficking dynamics
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Consultation regarding victim behavior and disclosure
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Education for legal teams regarding grooming, coercion, and exploitation
The scope of each engagement is determined by the needs of the case and the issues for which Sheri is qualified to provide an expert opinion.
A Perspective Beyond the Textbook
Human trafficking does not always look the way people expect.
A victim may continue communicating with an exploiter. They may appear emotionally attached. They may defend the person harming them, return after opportunities to leave, conceal what is happening, or struggle to identify themselves as a victim.
Without an understanding of grooming, manipulation, dependency, and coercive control, these behaviors can be misunderstood.
Sheri provides survivor-informed context that can help explain behaviors that may otherwise appear inconsistent, confusing, or counterintuitive.
Her expertise is grounded in lived experience, years of prevention education and advocacy, professional work with multidisciplinary audiences, and continued study of grooming and human trafficking dynamics.
Professional Qualifications
Sheri Lopez is the Founder and Executive Director of Pearl at the Mailbox and President of the Arizona Human Trafficking Survivor Coalition. She also founded the National Grooming Prevention Hotline and is the author of eight books addressing grooming, exploitation, trafficking, personal safety, and prevention.
Her professional experience includes:
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Serving as an expert witness in a human trafficking criminal case
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Providing survivor-informed insight to law enforcement and prosecutors
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Working with multidisciplinary professionals
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Educating professionals on grooming and trafficking dynamics
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Contributing to survivor-informed policy and legislative initiatives
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Testifying before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee regarding human trafficking
Independent, Case-Specific Analysis
Sheri's role as an expert is to provide objective, case-specific opinions within the scope of her expertise.
Expert witness services are separate from advocacy work. Opinions are based on the information reviewed, the circumstances of the individual case, and the limits of Sheri's professional expertise.
An initial consultation can be used to determine whether Sheri's expertise is appropriate for the issues involved in a particular matter.
Request an Expert Witness Consultation
Attorneys, prosecutors, investigators, and legal teams seeking expert consultation may contact Sheri to discuss the nature of the case, the expertise needed, availability, and potential scope of engagement.