Ethical Issues in Counseling Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse

An adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse who seeks counseling is going to demand more of a counselor than an adult who did not encounter that kind of trauma as a child. These patients have been described as "the most needy, vulnerable, and traumatized of all psychotherapy patients" (Knapp & VandeCreek, p. 452, 1996). Early studies have shown that as much as 30% to 33% of clinical populations have been victims of childhood sexual abuse (Daniluk & Haverkamp, 1993). With that being said, "a history of childhood sexual victimization is implicated for many adults seeking counseling assistance" (Daniluk & Haverkamp, p. 16, 1993). It is inevitable that a counselor is going to be working with someone who has a history of childhood sexual abuse. Therefore, it is important for counselors to realize that there are special ethical considerations that need to be considered when counseling an adult survivor.