There are some counselor's ethical and legal obligations when offering services to vulnerable groups. The analysis includes women in substance abuse and elderly clients who have been abused or neglected. Research indicates that women in substance abuse and the elderly who have been abused or neglected are the most vulnerable to maltreatment. However, it is difficult to estimate the incidences of violence of these two demographic populations since most of the cases usually go unnoticed. Further, it is possible that as few as 1 in 14 cases are not reported, which may limit the ability of women in substance abuse and elderly clients who have been abused or neglected to live independently and are a higher risk of maltreatment. Types of maltreatment include physical assault, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, as well as financial or material exploitation.
Professional counselors both in the prevention of maltreatment should assist the victims to recover from the effects, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, feelings of isolation, alienation, mistrust, as well as learned helplessness. However, abandonment may be intentional or unintentional or at times may be self-inflicted by the vulnerable individuals (Remley Jr., & Helry, 2013). This is a challenge especially when the victims skip meals. Other problems occur when they get involved in substance abuse or alcohol. In some cases, they may ignore to maintain proper hygiene. The victims may also suffer from physical abuse, which is another form of maltreatment inflicted upon the identified groups ( Geppert & Roberts, 2008) . Some types of physical abuse include the threats o institutionalize the victims, abandonment, intimidation, as well as humiliation.
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As an ethical obligation, it is the responsibility of professional counselors to report the possibility of maltreatment, especially when working with neglected older adults and women in substance abuse. In essence, when working with such victims, it is necessary to guard against clinical age bias, discrimination, and stereotyping. It has been reported that counselors are usually reluctant to work with women in substance abuse and elderly clients who have been abused or neglected. As such, counselors are required to take care and avoid paternalistic assumptions, such as what is best for the vulnerable groups.
References
Geppert, C. M. A., & Roberts, L. W. (2008). The book of ethics: Expert guidance for professionals who treat addiction, Chapter 7 . Center City, Minnesota: Hazelden.
Remley Jr, T, P., & Helry, B.P. (2013). Ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling . Pearson Education.
