Hello everyone –
In this week’s FYI we’re focusing on Haven’s need for confidentiality and risk management. Do you ever wonder why we don’t list the time and place of some of our events? Or why we don’t hold large open house events at our office? Check out our article below.
“Women [victims] are 70 times more likely to be killed in the two weeks after leaving [an abusive relationship] than at any other time during the relationship” (The Department of Justice).
Need for Confidentiality and Reducing Risk
“Abusive relationships are extremely complex situations, and it takes a lot of courage to leave. Abuse is about power and control. When a survivor leaves their abusive relationship, they threaten the power and control their partner has established over the survivor’s agency. This often causes the partner to retaliate in harmful ways. As a result, leaving is often the most dangerous period of time for survivors of abuse” (National Domestic Violence Hotline www.hotline.org).
It’s important that we are as confidential as possible with our client’s information and location so that clients feel safe enough to take that dangerous first step and trust our advocates and our program.
A few Reasons Why Confidentiality is Important
Breaches in confidentiality (even those that are small) can put our clients and our staff at great risk. Simple information such as where a client is renting a home (what agency is renting the home to them) can unknowingly leak who the client is making it easy for a perpetrator to figure out where their former partner is if he or she knows who they rented a house from. Sharing private information such as which specific tribal program is trying to reach someone can be harmful. If the former partner or perpetrator is angry Haven is assisting the victim, it puts our advocates at risk of retaliation by the perpetrator.
Many victims of domestic violence and sexual assault fear retribution from their abuser for seeking assistance and therefore do not want anyone outside of Haven knowing that they sought services or advice. Some victims may still be living with their abuser while others may be fleeing a situation and looking for confidential locations where they can stay. In both instances, breaches of confidentiality can be lethal.
How Haven Works to Reduce Risk and Ensure Confidentiality
- We don’t disclose the location or time of our support group – people have to call our office for details.
- We don’t hold open houses for the public to tour our offices, safe tiny homes, etc.
- We are having a privacy fence built around our safe tiny homes so that clients can feel comfortable and safe that they won’t be easily seen.
- We assist in relocating clients to safe locations when needed.
- We assist in relocating clients to services outside our area when needed for safety.
- We don’t publish articles or boast about the specifics of the work we’re doing, to keep our program and information OUT of the spotlight.
- We redact all confidential information from forms including invoicing, rental agreements, etc when entering them into our tribal accounting system.
- All our files, data collected, etc is kept in either locked cabinets in locked rooms or in password protected physical and online spaces.
- Only Haven staff with background checks and signed confidentiality waivers are allowed to view Haven files, know the location of clients, and communicate with potential clients.
“No matter the reason, leaving any relationship can be difficult; doing so in an abusive situation can feel impossible without the right access to support” (National Domestic Violence Hotline www.hotline.org).
Please help Haven support our clients by understanding our need for confidentiality and reducing the risk of danger for our clients and staff.
Haven Office Hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday
HAVEN Does NOT provide 24- hour service. After hours please call:
StrongHearts Native Helpline https://strongheartshelpline 1-844-762-8483 (call or text) or Community Crisis Center, Miami, OK 1-800-400-0883
StrongHearts and Community Crisis Center have 24 hour service
Please call the HAVEN office during business hours for more information.
918-554-2836 or Text Line: 918.533.3070
