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Abstract: 

Mandatory reporting was developed with the intention of protecting vulnerable people—children, the elderly, the disabled—from abuse and, if necessary, to take steps to keep them from being further abused. Although the idea may be good in theory, in practice, mandatory reporting comes with a considerable downside, of many clinicians are painfully aware--especially the breaching of trust that occurs when a clinician is ethically bound to report a client for suspected abusive behavior. Further, mandatory reporting may lead to police involvement, which can be particular harmful to minority communities. The authors make pertinent suggestions for complying with mandatory reporting laws while minimizing the harms associated with reporting.

Keywords: Mandatory Reporting and Survivor Confidentiality; Peer-to-Peer Violence

Affiliations:  1: Pivot Advocacy, PC; 2: Accountable Communities Consortium.