Protecting the Client's Privacy
The client who has reached a decision to contact a paranormal investigator or a team of ghost hunters is very likely a person who has undergone very unusual or even inexplicable experiences. Very often, clients feel as if they may be losing their grip on reality. They may have already been ridiculed when they conjectured that something supernatural was taking place around them.
When a client finds you, he may be emotionally vulnerable. It is part of your job to reassure him that you will do everything in your power to safeguard his privacy. You must also assure him that while an investigation is taking place at his home or business, the people who are involved in that investigation will protect and respect his property, treat it with consideration, and, most importantly, let the client retain his anonymity, should he want it. Most do. T.R.I.P.R.G. estimates that 95 percent of their clients want them to maintain client confidentiality.
What does “client confidentiality” mean, in practical terms? Many groups and investigators approach it differently, but to most, it means:
The identity of the client and the client's family are not disclosed.
The location of the investigation is kept secret, especially in a small town.
Facts about the case that could eventually lead to the deduction of the identity of the site or the person(s) are suppressed.
This means training investigators to watch their tongues when talking about their activities. Several pieces of information casually sprinkled though a conversation that can lead someone to deduce the client's identity or reach a conclusion about the site's location is the most common form of slip-up. People mean no harm, but it is very unprofessional and may result in actual legal liability if the client can prove he was damaged as a result.
The Confidentiality Agreement
Most teams sign a confidentiality agreement to reassure clients that their information will be kept confidential. The documents vary in length and complexity, but they all have one thing in common: They warrant that information gathered in the course of the investigation is treated as privileged and private. All team members are asked to read it and sign it, just to reinforce the idea that the responsibility and liability to the client are on the shoulders of the investigators.
There are even CDs available that offer the various forms investigators may need. You can purchase the Paranormal Paperwork CD from Vander-worker Todd Paranormal Research online. Profits from sales of the CDs help fund the group's investigations. These are simple forms that can be adapted to the needs of the purchaser.
A bare bones agreement should contain the following information:
CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT FORM
We respect your privacy rights. We guarantee that your confidential information will remain so. We treat as confidential any information divulged during the course of the investigation, as well as any information that may be inadvertently obtained during the course of the investigation. These facts include the names and identities of all parties, clients, and witnesses, as well as the physical address of the investigation or any other feature that may make the site readily identifiable.
THE AGREEMENT
On occasion, this organization may ask to use information and evidence collected during the investigation for educational or publicity purposes, or possibly for inclusion on our website. Please check the level of confidentiality you would like to request and with which you would feel comfortable.
You have our assurance that your information will remain confidential unless you choose to release it. Please place a check mark beside your choice and draw a line through the options you reject.
Full disclosure, including the identity of witnesses, clients, and the site location
Partial disclosure, including the identity of witnesses and clients, but the site location is changed and the exact address of the location is undisclosed
No disclosure of any of the pertinent facts of the case whatsoever
SPECIAL REQUESTS
Signed: ______________ Date: ______
No Confidentiality Required
There are those rare times when investigators are not required to conceal information about the case. These usually arise in instances where the allegedly haunted site would actually benefit from the notoriety the investigation would bring, such as the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast in Fall River, Massachusetts, which has only benefited from the exposure it has received from being featured on Ghost Hunters.
These cases are a delightful breath of fresh air to investigators. They can free the group to break loose from the constraints of confidentiality and discuss the case with other team members or their fellow paranormal investigators. The non-confidential cases allow the ghost hunters to freely discuss their fascinating experiences and dissect the phenomena with other groups. It also gives the team a chance to post its findings about the case, along with EVPs, photos, and other evidence online.
