Ethical Guidelines for Members of NACS
Introduction
The goal of these instructions is to help people working in the field of sexology to grasp the
significance of ethics in their own work. These guidelines are not to be taken as rules but more a
tool, which allow one to make ethical contemplation a part of their everyday work routine, and a
tool to support members facing ethical dilemmas. Ethics are not about giving orders and abiding
rules, but about internalising the responsibility for one’s decisions even in difficult situations.
Ethical action depends on the situation because people and their conditions vary; therefore it is
necessary for the members to be sensitive to the ethical dimensions of the situations they encounter
in their work. Ethical sensitivity is crucial for maintaining high standard of professionalism in
sexological work.
These guidelines are aimed for all members of NACS, especially for people working as sexual
therapists or counsellors. Some parts may also be applicable to sexological research and education.
Furthermore, these guidelines are designed to help clients and others who are interested in the
ethical principles guiding above-mentioned professionals. These instructions do not replace ethical
guidelines created for particular professions or institutions but are meant as an addition to them. In
case these guidelines collide with local laws, the laws should be abided.
In the following text, a member refers to any member of NACS, and the client refers to any person
or group to which a member has a professional relationship. The guidelines are organised around
four main headlines: rights, dignity, responsibility, and professionalism.
Ethical principles
1. Rights
Autonomy
A member respects the client’s autonomy, which includes the right to start and terminate the client
relationship. A member makes sure that the client has enough information and is able to give
informed consent concerning her/his participation into any practice involved in professional
relationship.
A member seeks to enhance the client's own capability to make decisions concerning her/him, also
taking into account the well-being of others close to the client. Even in situations, when local law
demands some kind of forced action, a member seeks cooperative relationship.
A member avoids using her/his position or knowledge in any way that violates, exploits or
suppresses the client.
Integrity
A member respects the client’s bodily, mental and emotional boundaries. When the client
relationship demands dealing with these boundaries, she/he proceeds with heightened sensitivity.
Confidentiality
The discussions between a member and the client, all the information and documents concerned and
the existence of the client relationship are confidential. Any information about them may not be
disclosed to anyone without the client's consent.
Local laws may oblige a member to disclose information about the client relationship in specific
circumstances. The client should be informed about them.
If any material from the client relationship is used for scientific study or publication, a member
makes sure that the client is informed and her/his privacy and anonymity are protected.
2. Dignity
A member respects the client’s personality, experience and dignity. This means sensitivity to
individual differences that are based on client’s age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic and
cultural origin, language, religion, functional level, education and socioeconomic status. A member
is also aware of the limitations that her/his own background might cause in these matters.
A member strives to be unbiased towards the client’s values, way of life and ideology. It is
important to identify the impact of one’s own values, emotions and motivations on the client
relationships, and one should always pay special attention to using neutral and respectful language
when client is contacted via telephone, email or internet.
3. Responsibility
A member seeks to identify situations where she/he is disqualified to start a client relationship to
avoid confusion of roles and mixing of professional and non-professional relationships.
A member is responsible for furthering the client’s interests as mutually agreed during the client
relationship. She/he is responsible for the quality of her/his work and its direct consequences on the
client. If a member cannot continue the process she/he has started, the client must be referred to
other competent professional.
A member ensures that relationship between her/him and the client remains professional at all
times. She/he is sensitive about how sexuality and intimacy both directly and indirectly can
influence the client relationship. A member will never enter a sexual relationship with the client and
will also make sure that the relationship stays professional on the emotional level as well.
A member is responsible for using professional and scientific knowledge correctly in client
relationships and in other situations concerning her/his profession. A member is also aware of the
ethical dimensions of her/his decisions and guidance. She/he should seek consultation, if she/he
feels unable to cope with the problem at hand.
4. Professionalism
A member takes care that their professional knowledge and skill levels are as high as possible, and
seeks to maintain ones own professional development continually. She/he follows the development
of her/his working field and is aware of the limitations of the methods she/he uses.
A member recognises any shortcomings in her/his training or competence and redirects the clients
that need help in these areas to more suitable professionals.
A member uses only such professional titles, which she/he is entitled to by education, authorisation
or position. A member is aware that she/he is perceived as a representative of her/his profession.
Reflection
A member reflects and evaluates her/his work continuously. She/he seeks to identify any
professional or ethical problems and corrects her/his actions and approach accordingly.
A member will seek proper professional guidance and take care of her/his well-being so that she/he
will be able to maintain good professional and ethical standards in her/his own work.
Transparency
A member makes her/his role visible and clear in every professional context. This includes
informing the client and co-workers about her/his educational background, qualifications,
competence and possible commitments to particular schools of thought, forms of therapy or
methods. A member will try to promote the mutual understanding between her/him and the client by
being open about his/her goals and motivations and by repeatedly making sure that the client has
understood him/her correctly.
Other guidelines
The following instructions are applied to sexological research concerning human subjects:
1) World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki (1964/1989), and
2) World Health Organization Proposed International Guidelines for Biomedical Research
Involving Human Subjects (1982).
10.3.2011
NACS Ethical Committee
Tommi Paalanen
Sólveig Anna Bóasdóttir
Anne Kulseng Berg