Sexual Abuse

Sexual Abuse is defined as any sexual activity or contact that occurs within a relationship characterized by a power imbalance, where one party uses their position of authority, trust, or physical superiority to manipulate or coerce another. According to the American Counseling Association (ACA) and related clinical standards, this encompasses both contact acts (such as fondling or penetration) and non-contact acts (such as exposure to pornography, voyeurism, or sexually suggestive comments). Because the power dynamic—whether between an adult and a minor or a professional and a client—negates the possibility of true informed consent, these actions are classified as a fundamental violation of human dignity and a "grievous breach of ethics.