Confidentiality & Privacy

Confidentiality

Information that you share will be treated confidentially. As part of our integrated team, if necessary, your Coordinator may consult with other members of the Centre team on a “need to know” basis to provide you with the best possible service.

The Centre treats disclosures and reports of incidents of sexual violence as confidential, consistent with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. At the start of your appointment, we will explain our confidentiality and privacy commitment and answer any questions you may have about it.

We only share information as necessary to implement the University’s Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment, including providing services, supports, accommodations and interim measures; and where necessary, investigation, hearing and decision-making processes, and any corrective action resulting from those processes.

To protect your information, all university staff who need to receive information follow all applicable University policies, guidelines, and legal requirements, including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The Centre may be required to disclose information in certain specific situations, including where:

• Information needs to be disclosed in order to address a risk to the health and safety of Members of the University Community
• An individual is at risk of imminent and serious harm to themselves or others
• Disclosure, report or investigation is required by law (for example, violence involving a minor, sexual violence by a regulated health professional, a subpoena, court order, obligations related to occupational health and safety or to human rights legislation or other legally effective requirement)
• Disclosure of a record is required to comply with disclosure obligations during the hearing process under the University’s Code of Student Conduct or an employment arbitration process

Information collected during visits to the Centre, over a phone call and via email communication, will be recorded in your Electronic Record, and will be accessible to Centre staff, as required. You can ask to see your records at any time. Please speak to your Coordinator for more information.

Email Communication

We routinely use email to communicate with clients about appointment bookings and resources, and to provide information updates. We communicate confidentially by email, and the security of UTOR to UTOR email is supported by strong contractually confirmed security measures. Nevertheless, email communications, particularly between different email services may be less secure, so confidentiality of email communications cannot be guaranteed.

We will respond to emails as soon as we can during regular business hours. The Centre’s email account is not monitored outside of office hours. If you have safety or privacy concerns about use of email, please let your Coordinator know.