Sex educators and researchers are often called upon to serve as expert witnesses in legal proceedings. This is particularly true in cases that center around kink or BDSM, consensual non-monogamy, and sexual or gender minorities. The job of the experts is to help judges and juries better understand the sexual issues at hand. In today’s show, I’m going to interview a colleague who has extensive experience serving as an expert witness. We’re going to talk about the some of the cases she’s been a part of, what the experience is like, and more.

My guest is Dr. Elisabeth Sheff, a researcher, expert witness, coach, speaker, and educational consultant. Dr. Eli holds a PhD in Sociology and certification as a Sexuality Educator from AASECT. She has published four books, over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters, and is currently editing a series of books on relationship and sexual diversity.

Some of the specific questions we answer in this episode include:

• How do you decide which legal cases to get involved in?


• What are some reasons why you might not take a particular case?


• What kinds of legal issues come up for non-monogamous individuals that would require an expert witness?


• What are some of the legal issues that come up in the context of kink and BDSM?


• Given that consent is not a valid legal defense for injuries that arise during sex, what do kinky folks need to know with respect to avoiding potential legal peril?

You can visit Dr. Eli’s website to learn more about her work.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.

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Thank you to our sponsors! 

The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University has been a trusted source for scientific knowledge and research on critical issues in sexuality, gender, and reproduction for over 75 years. Learn about more research and upcoming events at kinseyinstitute.org or look for them on social media @kinseyinstitute.

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.