ABSTRACT
Every person employed in the mental health field, whether as a counselor, therapist, psychologist, or social worker, knows that it is never acceptable for a professional to engage in a sexual or romantic relationship with a patient. Liability insurance providers too track violations since they must pay settlement claims for incidents. In a very report, CNA, a leading insurance provider for mental health counselors, determined that engaging in a sexual relationship with a client or a client’s family members accounted for 36.4% of all closed claims between the years of 2013 and 2017. Additionally, an increasing number of states have criminalized sexual activity between mental health professionals and patients. Several meta-analyses and research reviews regarding sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace, on college campuses, and within the military offer the mental health treatment field guidance as how to tackle the problem. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
