Explain the difference between confidentiality and mandatory reporting in IPV/sexual violence practice.

• A. Confidentiality means information can never be shared with anyone.
• B. Mandatory reporting means information must be shared with authorities in all cases.
• C. Confidentiality and mandatory reporting are identical concepts.
• D. Confidentiality protects information within limits; mandatory reporting requires disclosure to authorities when legally required.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is understanding how privacy protections work alongside legal duties to report. Confidentiality is about handling what a client shares with you: you protect that information and only disclose it with the client’s permission or within stated boundaries of the professional relationship. It isn’t absolute—there are limits you can share to keep the client safe or to coordinate care, and you must be clear with clients about what will and won’t be shared.

Mandatory reporting is a separate, legal requirement. It obligates you to disclose certain information to authorities when specific conditions are met (for example, suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, or other situations defined by law). This duty applies regardless of the client’s wishes, but it only kicks in under those legally defined circumstances and varies by jurisdiction and situation.

Thus, the correct distinction is that confidentiality protects information within limits and with client consent for disclosures beyond those limits, while mandatory reporting requires disclosure to authorities when law requires it. The other statements are too absolute or incorrect: confidentiality isn’t endless sharing, mandatory reporting isn’t automatic in all IPV/sexual violence cases, and the two concepts are not the same.