Understanding Confidentiality and Privacy

| Title IX at Yale (original) (raw)

Privacy concerns are often at the forefront when someone has experienced sexual misconduct.

If an individual is unsure of which resource to contact and wants to explore options, SHARE is always a good place to start; SHARE may be reached at 203-432-2000.

Confidential Resources

When consulted in their professional capacities, SHARE counselors, healthcare providers, and chaplains will not reveal any information shared without explicit permission from the individual except in circumstances where there is an ongoing threat to the individual or another person’s health and safety.

Other Campus Resources

Deputy Title IX Coordinators, the staff and members of the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct (UWC), and the Yale Police have specialized training and expertise in addressing issues of sexual misconduct, and will protect privacy and share information only on a need-to-know basis.

Deputy Title IX Coordinators report information about disclosures to the Title IX office, which provides guidance on supportive measures and oversight on actions taken to address sexual misconduct. In cases of sexual assault or other criminal conduct, Deputy Title IX Coordinators will share nonidentifying details about the incident with the Yale Police Department for statistical purposes (as required by the federal Clery Act), and will advise about the resources and assistance that the police can provide.

Deputy Title IX Coordinators can work with individuals to address concerns, connect them with appropriate resources, review the supportive measures and resolution options available (formal, informal resolution, criminal), and will help facilitate those actions at the individual’s request. Many actions and accommodations can be taken or made while protecting the individual’s identity. Some accommodations may require the Deputy Title IX Coordinator to work with other University personnel (e.g., deans, Human Resources, housing staff), but they will only be pursued with the individual’s permission and the Deputy Title IX Coordinator will provide only the amount of information necessary to facilitate the accommodation.

The UWC will report information about formal complaints of sexual misconduct to the Title IX Office, including the findings made and sanctions, if any, or other actions required by the UWC. The UWC will share information about formal complaints on a need-to-know basis with those officers involved in implementing the UWC’s decisions.

Yale Police officers are trained to receive reports of sexual misconduct with sensitivity and will provide information regarding possible criminal investigations, as well as victim services and University resources. The Yale Police will share information about reports of sexual misconduct with the Title IX Office. Additionally, in certain cases involving reports of domestic violence, the Yale Police may be required to take actions under Connecticut law.

Responsible Employees

Certain individuals on campus have a responsibility to report allegations of sexual misconduct to a Deputy Title IX Coordinator. These individuals include all faculty, residential college deans, student affairs staff and other administrators, UWC members, and students in official paid roles such as Communication and Consent Educators (CCEs), Peer Liaisons, and First-Year Counselors. When a Deputy Title IX Coordinator receives information about an incident of sexual misconduct, they may reach out to the affected individual(s) to assess the situation and to offer options and accommodations.

Some individuals, known as Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) under the federal Clery Act, also have a responsibility to report allegations of sexual misconduct to the Yale Police Department without including identifying details. A CSA is defined by law as a member of the campus police/ public safety and security, any individual who has responsibility for campus security or an individual who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities.

Publications

To inform the community, and to comply with state and federal requirements, the University regularly shares information about disclosures of sexual misconduct made to the University. This information is shared with great care to preserve the privacy of the individuals involved.