Some of the most common ethical question is about touching, sexual relationships with counsellors, sexual abuse, and abuse of power. Counsellors do not have the right to touch you without your consent, and should not try to persuade you to allow them to touch you if you feel uncomfortable. At the same time, it is not appropriate for clients to demand touch from their counsellor. It is also unethical for a counsellor to have sexual relationships with you while you are in counselling. However, this area becomes somewhat blurred after counselling is finished.
Many people still see such relationships as unethical and unhealthy.
A small number of counsellors take advantage of the power of imbalance that can occur in counselling and use this to initiate relationships with women who are in a vulnerable position. Evidence suggests that such relationship can be damaging for women. If you believe you could potentially be in such a situation, you may wish to discuss the implications with someone else. It is illegal for any counsellor to force you to have any sexual contact with them. This is sexual assault or rape.