ABSTRACT
This chapter uses recent cases of sexual boundary violations in therapeutic settings to illustrate these issues. It considers the research relating to professionals' and clients' vulnerabilities to sexual boundary violations, as well as the effects of these violations. The chapter also considers strategies for preventing sexual boundary violations in professional-client relationships. In the context of a therapeutic relationship, 'boundaries' delineate the dividing line between personal and professional identity or behavior. Recent research suggests, however, that the vast majority of health and social care workers consider sexual boundary violations to be inappropriate and harmful. Other research studies have explored the prevalence of professional sexual misconduct amongst psychologists. As with the literature concerning general sexual offending, studies of sexual misconduct among professionals suggest that various motivations and personality factors contribute to the violations, so that it is not possible to offer a 'character profile' of offending individuals.
