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Ally Program > Confidentiality Guidelines for Allies

  • Always be honest. Never promise absolute confidentiality—a promise you may not be able to keep—to encourage a contact to talk to you. Inform him or her that you assume you will not tell anyone, but there may be situations in which you would have to tell a professional. Encourage them to understand your point of view.

  • If you do need to tell someone, always make sure it is with a campus professional. You should only break confidence by talking to someone qualified to make decisions that are too risky for an Ally. Trust the professionalism of that person. Do not tell other Ally members or friends in hopes that they will keep it to themselves.

  • If another Ally tries to tell you about a confidential conversation that took place, stop him or her.  In a gentle way, remind him or her that he or she should either keep it confidential, or talk with a campus professional.

  • If the situation is not extremely serious, but you want feedback from a campus professional, do not use a name. Describe the situation without naming the person with whom you are dealing. If the situation is not serious, the campus professional will honor this agreement. This also works well if you are not sure whether you should tell someone. Describe the situation without using a name and ask the campus professional what you should do. He or she can let you know if the situation requires you to disclose the name of your contact.

  • If you are going to tell someone, always let your contact know. Never do it secretly. The only time you should tell someone is when you have legitimate reasons. Explain these reasons, and ask your contact to understand.  Remember that your responsibility is to their health and safety, and yours as well.