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Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 397 Filed 10/29/21 Page 25 of 84
sexual abuse can lead to a variety of psychological difficulties, including substance use and
participation in risky sexual behavior. Complex trauma—trauma involving repetitive or prolonged
exposure to or experiences of multiple traumatic stressors, involving harm or abandonment by
trusted adults, and occurring at developmentally vulnerable times—can lead to various
psychological consequences, including dysregulation in emotional control, difficulties in
relationships or with behavioral control, and distorted perceptions of the self and others.
This opinion is highly relevant. It is likely that jurors will not be intimately familiar with
the consequences of child sexual abuse. Accordingly, the causal connection between these
psychological problems and child sexual abuse is outside the experience of the average juror. Yet
that information will aid the jury in two respects: First, it will help jurors assess the credibility of
Minor Victims, to the extent they have had some of these psychological symptoms or had other
difficulties described by Dr. Rocchio in the years since their abuse. For instance, the Government
expects the defense to attack the credibility of a Minor Victim by crossO-examining her about her
substance abuse. Dr. Rocchio’s testimony will provide the jury with a fuller picture by showing
that substance abuse can be a consequence of sexual trauma. Second, experiencing certain
psychological difficulties is consistent with past child sexual abuse and complex trauma. It is
evidence that Minor Victims in fact experienced child sexual abuse that they suffered known
consequences of such abuse. See Raniere, 2019 WL 2212639, at *3, *7 (admitting expert
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Dates
Document Details
| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00005808.jpg |
| File Size | 628.1 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 95.0% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 1,776 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 17:03:26.429498 |