Recommendation number 78 from the jury from the inquest into ending Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Ontario is the sole recommendation aimed at the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
It says, Working together with the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee (DVDRC), justice partners and IPV service providers, the commissioner must develop a plain language tool to empower IPV professionals to make informed decisions about privacy, confidentiality, and public safety.
Erin Lee, Executive Director of Lanark County Interval House, and a member of the DVDRC says communication and what can be divulged can’t be taken lightly with IPV cases.
She says since the inquest, the commission has created a tool which is in simple language to discuss specific issues that they can provide information on.
The challenge is making sure communications are clear and informative while not infringing on anyone’s privacy rights. That “dance,” as Lee calls it can be challenging. But it must be improved so that when an emergency situation arises, proper steps to include potential victim’s and the public’s safety are paramount.
You can listen to the complete conversation with Erin Lee below.