Legal and Ethical Dilemmas

Any of us who work in the field of sexuality education are going to have our ethics challenged when it comes to meeting our legal requirements (mandated notification here in Australia).
I am interested in how others make sense of the issues that they confront. For example do you ALWAYS notify when you find out (or suspect) that someone under the legal age of consent is engaging in intercourse? Do you always suggest a police report if someone with an intellectual disability sexually assaults another person ( touches a staff member on the breast)? Do you follow the literal representation of legislation or do you sometimes follow a subjective interpretation? How do you get advice?

What about switching off? If you notice things when you are online after work hours - do you act on them or let them go. Do your ethical dilemmas disappear when your working day stops?

If you want to explore some of these issues you may want to come to the ShineSa forum on May 1st called Sex, Health and the Law

Professionals working with young people, the disability community, or people from diverse

cultural backgrounds sometimes fi nd themselves unsure about how the law applies to some

aspects of sexual behaviour. This means that they can be unsure about how to proceed in

providing information, guidelines, or moral and practical support to their clients and colleagues

concerning their legal sexual rights and responsibilities.

This forum will explore:

• key areas of law which relate to sexual behaviours and health

• some of the ‘grey areas’ in sexual law and their impact for workers and their clients

• the positive role of the law in helping inform healthy sexual behaviours and relationships

• key questions posed to the panel and facilitators by attendees

Panel members will include:

• Dr Peter Chamberlain: Senior Clinical Psychologist, Owenia House

• Trish Johnson: Criminal Lawyer, Legal Services Commission

• Detective Sergeant Peter Rodney, Sexual Crime Investigation Branch, SAPOL

When: 1 May 2013 (Wednesday)
Where: GP Plus Health Care Centre, 64c Woodville Road, Woodville
(Parking off Bower Street)
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Cost: $20 (invoice issued on receipt of the enrolment form)

CLICK HERE to go the online enrollment form BUT HURRY - ENROLMENT CLOSES THIS FRIDAY