[Ms Tree]

Can a family criminal be held accountable if the only evidence was verbally given to my therapist?

[CantExplain]

That depends how old you are.
If you are an adult, your T is bound by confidentiality and should take no action.

In our State, a T has a duty to disclose if there is a risk of harm to another human. If you are a minor, and told your T that you were being harmed, they have a duty in our State to report it. If you are an adult, they may disclose, but are not obligated to do so. If you tell the T that YOU are going to harm someone else, the T must disclose.

[stopdog]

Do you want them to be held liable?

[growlithing]

If you were to go to your T and say "I am going to cause physical harm to someone" then that she/he would probably have to tell someone or more likely commit you. If you went to your T and said "I killed a man last night" or "I SA'd a child yesterday" then there is more issue. They might have to turn you in. However, if you said you committed any other crime, I think they have to keep it confidential.

I hope this crime isn't as serious as murder or SA though.

In our State, as long as the crime you have committed is in the past, the confidentiality controls, and the T may not disclose. It's if you are GOING TO harm another that the T must disclose.

[critterlady]

Originally Posted by growlithing

If you were to go to your T and say "I am going to cause physical harm to someone" then that she/he would probably have to tell someone or more likely commit you. If you went to your T and said "I killed a man last night" or "I SA'd a child yesterday" then there is more issue. They might have to turn you in. However, if you said you committed any other crime, I think they have to keep it confidential.

I hope this crime isn't as serious as murder or SA though.

My T once told me that if I told him I was going to kill someone and he thought I was serious, he would have to report it. But if I walked in and told him I had just killed someone, he would be bound by confidentiality law and couldn't say anything to anyone.

So, at least where I live, the obligation of a therapist to report is only for potential future harm. They can't report things that have already happened.

[rothfan6]

I found this site helpful when I was wondering the same thing. http://www.lifestonecenter.com/ask-a-therapist.php

They have this question about reporting abuse but you could also ask one that's more specific to your situation.

"Ask a Therapist: Is My Therapist
Obligated to Report Abuse?

Question: If someone discloses past abuse in therapy, is the therapist obligated to report it?

Answer: It depends on the situation. If you are an adult who was abused in your past and who discloses this information in a therapy session, then the therapist is not mandated to report the abuse. If you are reporting abuse or neglect that has happened or is happening to a child or a vulnerable adult, then the therapist must report per Utah law, as therapists are mandatory reporters. It is wise to talk to your therapist about the limits of their confidentiality and how they handle cases where they feel they must report abuse or neglect. Many therapists will work with and support a client through the process of making a report about abuse or will inform you of the procedures they will take to make a report to the appropriate agency or agencies."

[Perna]

Words would not be all that would be necessary, could not be the only "evidence". There would be an investigation and others would be interviewed, etc. If you are a minor and still live with the family member, you would probably be taken into custodial care, away from the family member while the investigation goes on. If it is you who on whom the crime was perpetrated, you would have to give a great deal of detail about the crime to law enforcement. If the crime was about two other people, not you, your T would not do anything/no one would find out/know.

[anilam]

Depends where you live. Here yes, Ts have to report if there's a immediate thread to you/s.o. else or if there's an abuse of a minor involved- and there's a ten yrs period. Like if I told my T I was abused at the age of 14 and was 23 s/he should still report it. However, in reality, this does not happen often and most Ts live by the reporting only if there's a chance of repetition and/or immediate thread rule. Makes no difference if the perp is your relative or not.
Best way is to ask your T.

[mylifeart]

i am kinda having a similar issue.

i am 23 and told my therapist what had happened to me... and yes they wanted me to press charges.
i had to be strong first, i found that when my therapist told me she would be there through the whole process of pressing charges on him, she wasn't it took me years... i had to have faith in myself. and not trust to rely on my therapist to help me out, or be there through all of it.