No one wants to feel unsafe, threatened, or disempowered at work. Inherent in the actor-director relationship is a power dynamic in which actors often feel like they have to do whatever the director asks of them, even if they aren't comfortable with it. As an actor, saying no to the director is hard, which is where having an intimacy coordinator comes in.
The intimacy coordinator works with the actors and the director separately at first to find out from the director what their creative vision for the scene is, and then what the actor's boundaries are. With this information, the intimacy coordinator then facilitates a dialogue between the parties in which they negotiate an outcome that appeals to both the director's vision and the actor's comfort level. By having the intimacy coordinator there, actors can feel confident that their boundaries will be honored and respected.
For actors, feeling safe at work also includes not being harassed by fellow actors or crew members, especially when dealing with intimate material. As part of the process, the intimacy coordinator has a discussion with each of the actors involved in intimate scenes separately about what sort of behavior is appropriate in between takes to make sure that everyone is comfortable. The intimacy coordinator is also available during the shoot to talk to crew members if someone's behavior is inappropriate and affecting the work.