ICDVP Cultural Competence & Ethical Practices 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Illinois, when is a DV advocate legally permitted to disclose survivor information without consent?
- Whenever a supervisor requests it for program evaluation
- When mandated by a court order or when there is imminent danger to the survivor or an identifiable third party (Correct answer)
- Any time law enforcement requests it during an investigation
- When the abuser's attorney subpoenas the advocate
Correct answer: When mandated by a court order or when there is imminent danger to the survivor or an identifiable third party
Illinois law permits disclosure in limited circumstances such as court orders or imminent danger, not routine administrative requests.
Question 2: Which practice best demonstrates ethical boundary maintenance for a DV advocate?
- Providing a personal cell phone number so survivors can reach the advocate at any time
- Maintaining a professional relationship with clear role boundaries while offering consistent support (Correct answer)
- Accepting gifts from survivors to reinforce trust in the relationship
- Becoming the survivor's primary social support outside of work hours
Correct answer: Maintaining a professional relationship with clear role boundaries while offering consistent support
Healthy professional boundaries protect both the survivor and the advocate from role confusion and dependency.
Question 3: A survivor speaks limited English and an interpreter is needed. The LEAST appropriate interpretation option is:
- A trained professional interpreter
- A telephone interpretation service
- A survivor-specific friend or family member who is also present at the shelter (Correct answer)
- A bilingual staff member from the agency
Correct answer: A survivor-specific friend or family member who is also present at the shelter
Using the survivor's friend or family member as interpreter compromises confidentiality and may distort information if the person has ties to the abuser.
Question 4: The ethical concept of 'do no harm' in DV advocacy most directly relates to:
- Avoiding any physical contact with survivors
- Ensuring that interventions do not inadvertently increase danger or re-traumatize the survivor (Correct answer)
- Refusing to provide information about weapons laws
- Keeping case files locked at all times
Correct answer: Ensuring that interventions do not inadvertently increase danger or re-traumatize the survivor
Non-maleficence in DV work means evaluating whether actions could escalate danger or cause additional trauma.
Question 5: A survivor from a tribal nation requests services. Which approach reflects cultural competence?
- Assume her experience mirrors that of non-tribal DV survivors
- Learn about the specific tribal nation's protocols and coordinate with tribal DV resources when appropriate (Correct answer)
- Require her to leave the reservation before providing services
- Apply standard safety planning without modification since DV is universal
Correct answer: Learn about the specific tribal nation's protocols and coordinate with tribal DV resources when appropriate
Tribal nations have distinct legal systems, cultural practices, and DV resources that must be incorporated into competent service delivery.
Question 6: An advocate discovers that a colleague is sharing survivor information casually in break room conversations. The ethical response is to:
- Ignore it since no outsiders are present in the break room
- Confront the colleague privately and report the breach to a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Join the conversation since team information-sharing builds cohesion
- Wait to see if it happens again before taking action
Correct answer: Confront the colleague privately and report the breach to a supervisor
Confidentiality breaches must be addressed immediately to protect survivors and uphold agency ethical standards.
Question 7: When conducting outreach to communities with high rates of DV that are historically distrustful of social services, advocates should first:
- Launch a large public awareness campaign using social media
- Build relationships with community leaders and trusted organizations before offering services (Correct answer)
- Set up a hotline and wait for community members to call
- Partner with law enforcement for joint community visits
Correct answer: Build relationships with community leaders and trusted organizations before offering services
Trust-building with community gatekeepers is the foundation for effective outreach in underserved or distrustful communities.
ICDVP Cultural Competence & Ethical Practices 3
In Illinois, when is a DV advocate legally permitted to disclose survivor information without consent?