Introduction

How the Workshop Came to Be

The Strengths of Shelter Workers

What is Abuse?

Why Abuse is Happening in Inuit Society

Understanding the Cycle of Violence

Inuit People and Healing

How My Shelter Helps Healing

Counselling 101

The Purpose of Counselling

Building a Counselling Relationship

Confidentiality

Good Listening

Gathering Information

Setting Goals

Taking Action

Suicide Prevention

Children and Abuse

The Impact of Abuse on Children

What Children Need

Helping Children Express Their Feelings

Safety Plans for Children

Working in a Shelter

Creating Physical Safety

Emotional Self-Esteem

Building Self-Esteem

Caring for Yourself

Dealing with Difficult Residents

Dealing with Conflict at the Shelter

Shelter Procedures and Records

Building Links with the Community

References

Confidentiality

Confidentiality means keeping information about a woman’s problems private. Especially in small communities, rumors and gossiping can be very harmful to women both physically and emotionally and can create bigger problems for them. People must not talk about what they hear or know about someone else’s life.

If a woman feels that her personal problems are being talked about by others she won’t be willing to participate in counselling and other activities in the shelter that could help her.

Some shelters ask their staff to sign an oath of confidentiality to guide their work in the shelter on this issue. Here is a sample:

Rumors, even when not true, tend to destroy life and make people’s life more miserable than it already is. Participant, Repulse Bay [source: Suicide Prevention p.15]

Sample: Oath of Confidentiality

From the Nain Safe House, Nain, Newfoundland & Labrador

I, ________________________________, do willingly promise to hold in confidence all matters relating to the Nain Safe House, including any information from and about clients and/or staff except where required by law. I will not repeat to anyone about any private matters that I have heard about residents or staff while I am at the shelter. I promise to respect that anything I hear and see at the shelter should not be repeated unless I am asked by the law.

SIGNATURE ___________________________________

DATE: _______________________________________

WITNESS: ____________________________________