I.

DEFINITION OF PROSTITUTION
LEGAL DEFINITIONS
Prostitution law varies widely from country to country, and between jurisdictions within a
country. At one extreme, prostitution or sex work is legal in some places and regarded as a
profession, while at the other extreme, it is a crime punishable by death in some other places.
BEHAVIORAL DEFINITIONS
1. Self-report of being forced into sexual activity with another person.
2. Injuries (e.g., abrasions, bruises, cuts, venereal disease, etc.) that give evidence of the sexual
assault.
3. Recurrent intrusive memories, nightmares, and/or thoughts of the assault.
4. Avoidance of situations related to the assault.
5. Anxiety, subjective sense of numbing, helplessness, fear, irritability, afraid to be in public
places or crowds alone since the assault.
6. Feelings of vulnerability, powerlessness, guilt, or shame.
7. Insomnia, difficulty concentrating, motor restlessness, depression, restricted range of affect.
8. Abstaining from intimacy, pain during intercourse, avoidance of sexual encounters since the
assault.

II. CHALLENGES
Despite their vulnerability, sex workers remained a largely invisible, inadequately served and
marginalized population. The main challenges sex workers faced included health risks, sexual
assault/violence, and obstacles to gaining access to substantial health care services, legal
assistance, and social services.
The sex worker further stated that ‘some had been married and returned to sex work full of pity
for those women who had to put up with the privations and lack of freedom marriage brings.
Some had tried other jobs, and found them tiring, exploitative and badly paid. Sex work was, for
them, an occupation they spoke of with pride, despite the stigma. And, they say, this is where
the problem lies: the societal attitudes towards them, the violence, stigma and abuse of human
rights they experience as a result.
III. ASSESSMENT (Tools / List of Center/Clinic/Professionals) if Applicable
1. Assess the client’s frequency, traumatic reactions on her/his emotional, cognitive, and
behavioral impact on functioning using an objective instrument (e.g., Trauma Symptom
Inventory–2).
2. Administer to the client a self-report measure (e.g., Beck Depression Inventory–II by Beck or
General Anxiety Disorder–7 [GAD-7]) to assess the depth of depression and/or anxiety
symptoms and suicide risk; evaluate the results and give feedback to the client.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS

Focus: SEXUAL ASSAULT
1. Actively build the level of trust with the client in individual sessions through consistent eye
contact, asking open-ended questions, offering unconditional positive regard, and showing
warm acceptance to explore the client’s emotional reaction at the time of the assault.
2. Obtain a release of information from the client to appropriate agencies/individuals (law
enforcement agencies, health care professionals, work/school personnel, relatives) and consult
with those who have factual details of the assault.
3. Coordinate a sexual assault assessment (description of the assault; when/where the assault
occurred; the impact of the assault upon personal, social, family, and vocational activities) to
occur in collaboration with law enforcement professionals to prevent further traumatization
from the client restating the details of the assault multiple times.
4. Encourage the client to work collaboratively with law enforcement; confront any resistance
such as fear of retaliation, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, and so on, by reminding the
client of the need to establish and maintain her/his safety.
5. Refer the client to a physician trained in sexual abuse examinations and evaluation of any
injuries; monitor the client’s compliance with the assessment and treatment recommendations.
6. Assist in getting the client to her/his physician, urgent care, or emergency department for a
medical evaluation.
7. Create with the client a symptom development time line to identify how the assault has
negatively impacted her/his life.
8. Discuss how the client’s activitiesof daily living have changed toavoid
confrontation,vulnerability, or shame since the assault occurred.
9. Assess the client’s frequency,traumatic reactions on her/hisemotional, cognitive, and
behavioral impact on functioning using an objective instrument (e.g., Trauma Symptom
Inventory–2).
10. Administer to the client a self-report measure (e.g., Beck Depression Inventory–II by Beck or
General Anxiety Disorder–7 [GAD-7]) to assess the depth of depression and/or anxiety
symptoms and suicide risk; evaluate the results and give feedback to the client.
11. Assess and monitor the client’s suicide potential; arrange for psychiatric hospitalization, as
necessary, when the client is determined to be harmful to self.

V. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
Code of Ethics: Certified Sexual Assault Advocate – July 1, 2013 Sexual Assault Victim Counselor Code of
Ethical Conduct
I. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors have an ethical responsibility to adults and youth who seek their
assistance.
A. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will be competent.
1. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors complete a standardized training to receive and maintain
certification and will have both general and specific knowledge of the field of sexual assault.
Additionally,
2. The designation of Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will only apply to those who currently
work at or volunteer for an IowaCASA member program under supervision.
3. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will maintain up-to-date knowledge on services and skills for
sexual assault services..
4. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will not operate outside the limits of their competence, but
make referrals or consultations in those areas. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will seek advice
and counsel from colleagues and supervisors whenever such consultation is in the best interest
of clients.
5. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will understand how cultural and social norms lead to and
condone sexual violence and how those norms impact individuals.
B. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will protect the client’s confidentiality within clearly defined limits.
These limits will be explained to all clients as follows:
1. Written, informed, specific consent may be given by the client to the Sexual Assault Victim
Counselor to obtain services on her or his behalf from other service providers.
2. The client will be informed if confidentiality cannot be maintained in the following situations:
a. When a dependent adult1 or child2 has been abused, exploited, or neglected.
b. Victim Counselors should protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course
of professional service, except for compelling professional reasons. The general expectation that
Victim Counselors will keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is necessary
to prevent serious, foreseeable, and imminent harm to a client or other identifiable person. In all
instances, Victim Counselors should disclose the least amount of confidential information
necessary to achieve the desired purpose; only information that is directly relevant to the
purpose for which the disclosure is made should be revealed.
3. The client will be informed that confidentiality shall not be maintained when a judge issues a
court order for specific information in certain circumstances.
4. Clients make final determination about whether or not to release information. When a
request for disclosure of information is made by a client, the Sexual Assault Victim Counselor will
discuss the potential positive and negative consequences with the client prior to releasing that
information. Under no circumstances will the Sexual Assault Victim Counselor make the final
determination on a release of information.
5. The Sexual Assault Victim Counselor will preserve the confidentiality of information provided
by the person served or acquired from other sources during and after the course of the
professional relationship. 6. Clients have the right to remain anonymous. 7. Clients have the right
to refuse all or part of services to protect their anonymity.
C. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will work to increase victim safety; will respect the authority and
autonomy of the adult victim to direct her or his own life; and will hold the perpetrator, not the victim,
responsible for the assault.
1. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will accept what a client tells them about the assault,
withholding opinion or judgment.
2. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will treat the client with respect and honesty in both verbal
and nonverbal communication.
 3. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will share knowledge they have with clients as it pertains to
the client’s situation. This may include the dynamics of sexual assault, short and long-term
effects of sexual assault, options for reporting the assault if desired, medical and counseling
options, housing options, the social and political issues that contribute to the continuance of
sexual assault, and any other options as dictated by the client’s specific situation.
4. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors who anticipate they will terminate or interrupt services to
clients should notify those individuals promptly and work with the client to transition out of
services in a respectful manner. Victim Counselors will facilitate the transfer, referral, or
termination of service in relation to the client’s needs and preferences.
5. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors should withdraw services abruptly only under unusual
circumstances, giving careful consideration to all factors in the situation and taking care to
minimize possible adverse affects. Victim Counselors must consult with their supervisor about
any perceived need for abrupt termination of services.

II. The Sexual Assault Victim Counselor has an Ethical Responsibility to keep records.
A. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will keep records documenting services provided in accordance with
state and federal guidelines.
B. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will record statistical and factual information, not opinions,
speculations, or conclusions. Under no circumstances shall a Sexual Assault Victim Counselor make a
mental or physical health diagnosis.
C. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will allow clients access to their own records, including copies if
requested. Victim Counselors will inform clients of the importance of protecting written records.

III. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors have an ethical responsibility in relationships with employers,
colleagues, and the public. A. Sexual Assault Victim Counselors will adhere to the policies and
procedures of their employers.

VI. SUPPORT GROUP/ORGANIZATIONS

1. RENEW Foundation is a Christian, international non-governmental organization dedicated to
empowering female survivors of human trafficking and prostitution in the Philippines.
 2. CRIBS Foundation, this program focuses on bringing healing and recovery to sexually abused
female minors from ages seven to 17.
3. The Paper Project provide source of livelihood to Women survivors of human trafficking,
prostitution and abuse

4. Gabriela has been fighting for women’s rights (victims of abuse)

5.

VII. REFERENCES
1. Kolski, Tammi D.(2014), The Crisis Counseling and Traumatic Events Treatment
2. McEvoy, Mary. "Gender Issues in the Informal Sector: A Philippine Case Study".
www.trocaire.org. Trocaire. Retrieved 10 June 2014.

3. 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (PDF) (Report). yafs.com}date=July 23, 2003.
Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-04-11.

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