Which statement best describes confidentiality when reporting teen dating violence?

• A. You should maintain confidentiality as much as possible but report when required by policy or law.
• B. You should promise complete confidentiality and not report to anyone.
• C. You should share all details with everyone in school.
• D. You should not report to anyone.

Answer: (A)

Confidentiality in reporting teen dating violence means protecting a student’s privacy while following rules that require you to report when someone may be harmed. You should keep information confidential as much as possible, but you must report when required by policy or law. This often means telling the student about the limits of confidentiality and sharing only the information that is necessary with the appropriate people (such as a counselor or administrator) who can help keep the student safe. The goal is to ensure safety and access to support, not to keep quiet about serious harm. Rigidly promising complete secrecy or sharing every detail with everyone would undermine safety and violate policies, and not reporting at all would ignore legal and ethical responsibilities to protect students.