ABSTRACT
Acting as an ethical practitioner is important not only as a professional but also so that the best interests of our young clients are respected and valued. Chapter 7 explores the most critical ethical and legal issues related to adolescent use of sexually explicit material. Examining ethics from the perspective of professional counseling, this chapter explores the ethical responsibilities of counselors, including the moral principles on which the ACA Code of Ethics is founded, specific ethical responsibilities to young people, issues of confidentiality, the intersection of ethics with one’s personal values, issues of professional competence, and the ethics of conducting research with minors. While the chapter identifies professional counseling specifically, practitioners in other fields are encouraged to examine their own ethical codes for similar responsibilities. The chapter also explores legal issues related to this field, including issues of free speech and expression, obscenity laws, child pornography, sexting, and mandated reporting of child sexual abuse.
