Sexual Exploitation in Professional RelationshipsGlen O. Gabbard "Research suggests that as many as 10-20% of male therapists have transgressed the sexual boundaries of the therapeutic relationship. More than half of all therapists will encounter patients who have been sexually intimate with a previous therapist. Central to treating the victims of these exploitative encounters is an understanding of the subsequent emotional damage. Burdened by feelings of guilt, isolation, and suppressed rage, these victims, overwhelmingly women, are often at high risk for suicide. Often they return to therapy with an inability to trust. 'Sexual exploitation in professional relationships' considers prevalence data and clinical, ethical, and medicolegal issues that arise when sexual intimacy encroaches on a professional relationship. Supported by multidisciplinary contributors - psychiatrists, social workers, clergy, and attorneys - this volume explores the issue of professional incest across the broad spectrum of helping professions. Building on a psychoanalytic perspective of the dynamics of therapist-patient sex, this book puts forth clinical guidelines for understanding and treating both the victim and the offender. The "lovesick" therapist is illustrated in thoughtful detail as an emotionally dependent man, plagued by middle-age woes and excited by a flirtation with social proscription. The victim, is often cast in a role reversal as the healer, emerges emotionally labile, isolated, and sexually confused. Clearly denunciating sexual intimacy in professional relationships, editor Glen Gabbard, M.D. and the many additional contributors further consider the ethical and legal consequences of sexual intimacy after termination of treatment. Based on a thorough review of medicolegal cases and litigation, guidelines are recommended for both therapists and attorneys in assessing damage and screening victims. In an age when sexual exploitation cases are the leading cause of all professional practice litigation - an age when 87% of surveyed therapists acknowledge feeling sexually attracted to their patients - an informed professional community may be the best solution to this pervasive problem." -- book cover. |
Contents
Data and Response | 15 |
and Their Clients | 27 |
Attorneys and Subsequent Therapists | 39 |
Copyright | |
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ambivalence American Psychiatric Association American Psychological Association assessment attorney become behavior Bouhoutsos 1986 Chapter clergy clients clinical clinicians complaints countertransference damages discussed educators emotional engage in sexual erotic contact ethics committees experience feelings female patient fiduciary Gabbard group therapists group treatment guilt harm hospital incest issues Jack licensing board lovesick male therapists malpractice Masters and Johnson Medical ment mental health occur offending therapist patient and therapist percent person pists Pope and Bouhoutsos practice previous therapists problem profes profession professional relationships psychiatrists psychologists psychotherapy PTSP rape reactions rehabilitation reported response risk role seduction sessions sex therapy sexual abuse sexual activity sexual attraction sexual contact sexual exploitation sexual intercourse sexual involvement sexual penetration sexual relations sexual relationship sexual surrogates social workers staff member subsequent therapist survey termination thera therapeutic therapist and patient therapist-client therapist-patient sexual intimacies tients tion transference trust unethical victims vulnerable women