Sexual abuse remains a pervasive issue, affecting a significant portion of the population and underscoring the importance of professional vigilance in human services. Statistics reveal that 1 in 3 females and 1 in 5 males will experience sexual abuse in their lifetime, yet only 10% of cases result in criminal charges. This troubling disparity highlights the critical need for human service professionals to prioritize client safety and create environments of trust and predictability. Addressing sexual violence is a complex and challenging endeavor, but it remains our shared responsibility to take every reasonable step to prevent it. No organization is immune to the risks of abuse or neglect. This universal vulnerability emphasizes the importance of proactive measures across all sectors.
As part of our ongoing public service efforts, David Prescott, our Director of the Continuing Education Center at Safer Society, produced a series of educational videos. These videos deliver a clear message to staff across all youth-serving organizations: abuse is preventable.
The videos were created to enhance your staff training programs and optimize your organization’s safety protocols. We are confident these free resources will prove invaluable in your ongoing efforts to create and maintain safe environments. Thank you for your dedication to fostering a society free from the harmful effects of sexual and social violence.
Introductory Video
Core Fundamentals – 25-Minute Training Video
In this 25-minute video, David Prescott speaks directly to staff about the need for clear professional boundaries between themselves and their clients and how essential these boundaries are to effective care. Adhering to professional boundaries is a cornerstone of ethical practice. These boundaries require professionals to recognize their clients’ inherent vulnerability and uphold principles of safety and predictability. Prescott discusses behaviors that would break these boundaries, such as:
- inappropriate physical contact
- sharing of personal information
- providing social media or electronic communication with clients
- socializing with clients outside professional settings
- Such actions must be avoided to maintain trust. Prescott also points out the warning signs of potential boundary violations, which include over-sharing personal struggles, providing special treatment, or seeking time alone with clients. Prescott concludes with reminders regarding how human service workers must fulfill their roles as mandated reporters. This responsibility includes promptly reporting concerns to supervisors, following established procedures, and allowing investigations to be conducted by the appropriate authorities. By adhering to these principles, professionals safeguard not only their clients but also the integrity of their practice.
In-Depth Exploration – 55-Minute Training Video
In this 55-minute video, David Prescott covers much of the same content as in the shorter version
but provides more examples of boundary violations. These include the violations mentioned
above plus situations like these:
- staff members taking clients on personal errands
- staff members accidentally showing inappropriate content to a client
- overheard comments or actions that blur professional boundaries
- private information revealed in publicly available social media outlets such as Facebook
in addition, Prescott provides comprehensive guidance on how human service workers can
maintain clear boundaries in a variety of contexts. Drawing from his extensive four-decade
career in the field of sexual violence, Prescott shares the often-overlooked issue of naïve
boundary violations and how those violations lead to negative consequences for therapists and
clients.
Prescott has consulted programs around the world and authored many books in the area of abuse
and neglect. In this longer version of the training, he shares real-life examples and stories that
offer deeper insights into the practical challenges and ethical dilemmas faced by professionals in
human services.