Clinical social work services are being provided for a family referred due to child sexual abuse by a guardian. The perpetrator is currently in jail, but will be released soon due to a lack of evidence. The children are fearful of his return, and the mother still claims his innocence. An adult daughter contacts the social worker with reports of her own sexual abuse by the same man many years ago. Her testimony is consistent with that of the younger children, and the perpetrator is sentenced to more jail time. Why was this information not a violation of confidentiality?
