How should privacy and confidentiality be managed when assisting victims?

• A. Share information with all law enforcement and prosecutors regardless of consent.
• B. Share information only with authorized personnel, limit data collection, inform victim of disclosure boundaries, obtain consent where possible.
• C. Never obtain consent for disclosure.
• D. Disclose information to the media to raise awareness.

Answer: (B)

Protecting privacy and confidentiality means sharing information only when it’s truly necessary and with the right people. The best approach is to limit disclosure to authorized personnel who have a legitimate need to know, keep data collection to what’s essential for safety and support, clearly explain to the victim who may access their information and under what boundaries it may be disclosed, and obtain consent for sharing whenever possible.

This respects the victim’s autonomy and safety, builds trust, and aligns with ethical and professional responsibilities. If there’s a legal requirement to disclose or a situation that creates imminent risk, share only the minimum information needed and document the rationale and authorization.

Sharing with all law enforcement and prosecutors without consent undermines confidentiality and can harm the victim’s safety and trust. Never obtaining consent for disclosure bypasses the victim’s rights. Disclosing information to the media can expose the victim to additional harm and stigma.