AdvocateWeb -. Exploitation of patients/clients by “helping professionals” is an alarmingly common societal problem. Professionals in mental health-related services, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, therapists, psychiatric nurses, ministers, as well as medical professionals, doctors, nurses, home-health-care nurses, attorneys, professors, teachers, educators, social workers, emergency/crisis counselors, drug abuse counselors, victim services, and law enforcement officers are entrusted and empowered by society to have authority and power in people’s lives. When this power is abused, tremendous damage can result for the victims and their families. This is not a gender-specific problem. Victims can be male or female. Perpetrators can be male or female. The issue is not really about sex. It is about the misuse of power by a professional to exploit a client’s trust, vulnerability, and need for the professional’s help, to meet the professional’s own personal desires at the expense of the client. The “cost” to the victim is immeasurable. The shattered lives and families are the greatest toll of this abuse of trust. Secondarily, there is a cost to society. Sexual exploitation by professionals has been recognized as a problem of great magnitude in recent years. Current estimates reveal one-third of all money awarded in medical malpractice claims is due to sexual misconduct. In some specific professions, such as psychology, this monetary figure is estimated at greater than fifty percent! Thus, this serious problem directly affects health-care and insurance costs, and any attempts to reduce the prevalence of this problem can have a positive impact on the economy. Thirdly, there is a cost to the profession. When a professional abuses a client, they damage the profession they represent.