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FAQs on Survivor Confidentiality Releases

Updated in 2011, this 14 page piece answers commonly asked questions about confidentiality provisions in the U.S. federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and clarifies best practices for informed consent related to protecting or sharing a survivor's information. It is a guide for any non-profit program receiving VAWA funds and is informative for any agencies partnering with those non-profit agencies.

It's sections address questions we received about: NNEDV's template release-of-information form; how to address confidentiality in partnerships between agencies; clarifications around age, consent and guardians; emergencies, hotlines and written consent; databases and confidentiality; mandated reporters and VAWA; and more. The piece was written by NNEDV's Safety Net Project and The Confidentiality Institute to answer numerous questions we've received from US DOJ OVW grantees including domestic and sexual violence advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, attorneys, health professionals, and others. (Created 2008, updated 2011.)