The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has published new guidance intended to enhance understanding of rights and obligations under Ontario’s privacy laws when sharing personal information in situations involving intimate partner violence (IPV).
Sharing Information in Situations Involving Intimate Partner Violence: Guidance for Professionals is designed to help professionals in the justice, health, and social services sectors enhance their understanding of rights and obligations under Ontario’s privacy laws.Injury or loss of life should never happen because of misunderstandings about privacy laws.
This guidance was developed in response to a recommendation from a 2022 inquest into the deaths of three women due to IPV. The inquest jury called on the IPC to develop guidance to empower IPV professionals to make informed decisions about privacy, confidentiality, and public safety.
The IPC collaborated and consulted extensively across the justice, healthcare, and social services sectors, as well as with survivors of IPV. The result is tailored guidance to support IPV professionals’ decision-making in accordance with Ontario’s privacy rules and protections.The guidance is intended to support professionals responding to situations involving IPV and explains when Ontario’s privacy laws permit sharing personal information without consent, particularly when there’s a risk of serious harm to a person’s health or safety.
The guidance takes a trauma and violence-informed approach to increase the security, control, and resilience of victims, survivors, and their families. This includes taking a culturally sensitive approach that considers historical, cultural, and internal biases to prevent further victimization of vulnerable communities.
Read the guidance at ipc.on.ca/en/IPVguidance
