Privacy Policy & Client Rights

Te Matatapu me Ō Tika

At West Coast Women's Refuge, your safety, dignity, privacy, and trust are at the heart of everything we do. Whether you are reaching out for support, visiting our website, or engaging with our services, we are committed to protecting your personal information and treating you with care and respect.

This policy explains your rights, how we collect and use your information, and how we keep it safe.

Your Rights

When you engage with West Coast Women's Refuge, you have the right to be:

Treated with dignity, kindness, and respect.

Listened to, believed, and supported without judgement.

Contacted in a timely manner.

Free from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, or cultural background.

Involved in decisions about the support and services you receive.

Able to ask questions and receive clear information about our services.

Able to choose which services or programmes you participate in.

Able to refuse or withdraw from services at any time.

Supported with an individual safety plan and case plan where appropriate.

Protected from abuse, harassment, or mistreatment by staff, volunteers, or other service users.

Supported to have a trusted support person with you during appointments where appropriate.

Able to raise concerns or make a complaint without fear of discrimination or retaliation.

Able to request access to the personal information we hold about you, subject to applicable privacy legislation.

Privacy and Confidentiality

We understand that privacy is essential when someone is experiencing family violence.

Any personal information you share with us is treated as confidential and is only accessed by authorised staff who require it to provide support.

We take reasonable steps to protect your information, including:

secure electronic systems

password-protected records

restricted staff access

secure storage of physical files.

We will never share your personal information without your knowledge or consent unless:

we are legally required to do so

it is necessary to protect your safety or the safety of another person

it is required under New Zealand law, including obligations relating to family violence or child protection.

Informed Consent

Where possible, we will always explain:

what information we are collecting

why we need it

who it may be shared with

how it will be used.

Where consent is required, we will ask for your permission before sharing your information.

Accessing Our Services

You may access our services directly or be referred by another organisation with your knowledge and consent.

Access to services is subject to eligibility and availability.

Your Case Plan

If you receive ongoing support from West Coast Women's Refuge, you will be involved in developing your own support and safety plans.

These plans are created with you, not for you, and can be reviewed whenever your circumstances change.

Referrals to Other Services

Sometimes additional support from another organisation may benefit you.

Any referrals will be discussed with you first and, wherever possible, will only be made with your consent.

Ending Our Services

You are free to stop using our services at any time.

Where appropriate, we will work with you to safely close your case and discuss any ongoing support that may be available.

Accessing or Correcting Your Information

Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and ask us to correct information that you believe is inaccurate.

Some information may not be released where doing so would place another person's privacy or safety at risk or where disclosure is restricted by law.

Requests can be made by contacting us directly.

Email: [email protected]

Complaints

If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, we encourage you to tell us.

Making a complaint will never affect your ability to receive support.

We will:

acknowledge your concerns promptly

listen respectfully

investigate your complaint fairly

keep you informed throughout the process

work towards a reasonable resolution.

If you remain dissatisfied, we will provide information about other organisations that may be able to review your complaint.

Website Privacy

When you visit our website, we may collect limited information to help improve your experience.

This may include:

your browser type

device information

pages visited

time spent on the website

anonymous website analytics

cookies where applicable.

This information helps us understand how people use our website and improve accessibility and content.

If you complete a contact form or email us through the website, we will only use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry or provide the support you have requested.

Cookies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve website performance and understand visitor behaviour.

You can choose to disable cookies through your browser settings, although some parts of the website may not function as intended.

Third-Party Services

Our website may link to external organisations or use trusted third-party services such as website analytics or secure donation platforms.

Those organisations have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them before providing personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, technology, or our services.

The latest version will always be available on this website.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled, please contact us.

West Coast Women's Refuge

Phone: (03) 768 7233

Email: [email protected]