Preventing Sexual Boundary Violations in Mental Health Organizations

Course overview

Course Description: Sexual boundary violations (SBV) represent one of the most serious ethical and legal infractions that can occur within the professional-client relationship in mental healthcare and disability care settings. Defined as harmful and exploitative sexual transgressions by a healthcare professional toward a client, SBV range from overt sexual abuse to subtle but damaging behaviors such as inappropriate physical contact, unwarranted personal comments, and unnecessary inquiry into a client's sexual history. Individuals receiving mental health or disability care are among the most vulnerable populations in healthcare, frequently residing in long-term residential settings where power differentials are pronounced and opportunities for boundary erosion are heightened. The consequences of SBV for clients are severe and can include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-blame, and lasting difficulties forming healthy intimate relationships. Despite widespread awareness of professional codes of conduct, SBV continue to occur at alarming rates, with research suggesting that the vast majority of incidents go unreported. Emerging research emphasizes that preventing SBV requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond punitive responses to individual misconduct. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate, and advanced-level practitioners who wish to learn more about preventing sexual boundary violations in mental health and disability care settings. It is also a good resource for licensed therapists who need continuing education in ethics for license renewal. Authors: Kroger, van Baarle, Widdershoven, Bal, Weenink Learning Objectives: This course will provide a professional with detailed information about sexual boundary violations in mental health and disability care organizations. Specifically, the practitioner will: 1. Identify the definitions, forms, and reported prevalence of sexual boundary violations in mental health and disability care settings 2. Describe the power dynamics and vulnerability factors that increase client risk. 3. Describe the role of open dialogue about sexuality with clients and within professional teams as a prevention strategy. 4. Analyze the systemic and organizational dimensions that contribute to or inhibit the prevention of sexual boundary violations. Citation: Kroger, C., van Baarle, E., Widdershoven, G., Bal, R., & Weenink, J.-W. (2022). Combining rules and dialogue: Exploring stakeholder perspectives on preventing sexual boundary violations in mental health and disability care organizations. BMC Medical Ethics, 23(49). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00786-9