Kay’s Counselling is committed to providing a safe environment for our staff as well as clients, free from acts of threats, physical violence, intimidation, harassment, verbal abuse or coercion.
Any incident of abuse will be dealt with as a matter of urgency and reported to the relevant authorities including the police. An incident is classed as any situation in which a member of staff is face with aggression, violence, any form of abuse whether physical or verbal, this includes the following:
Verbal Abuse: Words used to cause distress, fear or intimate anyone or a group of people including shouting, yelling, swearing at the therapist, offensive remarks or gestures Derogatory racial, religious or sexual remarks or behaviour, Inappropriate behaviour as a result of alcohol or misuse of illicit drugs, including non-prescribed medication or drugs. Intimidation, threats or threatening behaviour (eg ‘I know where you live’) Harassment or stalking.
Physical Abuse: Any behaviours which include physical contact, including touching, pushing, hitting, stalking, spitting, use of objects to cause injury also including invasion of personal space. The intentional application of force against the person of another without lawful justification resulting in physical injury or personal discomfort.
Aggression: Intimidation, harassment, challenging someone’s right to emotional, physical safety and health. The use of inappropriate words or behaviour causing distress and/or constituting harassment. This includes receipt of abusive telephone/texts calls from any source.
A Hate Crime: Any behaviours/words with the intent of holding prejudices against anyone’s disability, race, religion, beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity regardless of whether this is carried out verbally or physically including damage to property, threats, intimidation or harassment.
Kay’s Counselling will not tolerate abuse of other’s (partners in couples counselling) or our members of staff and will support them in prosecution of offenders.
The therapeutic relationship following a single incident will be terminated – the client will be asked to leave the premises, refusal to do this will result in the police being called.
Liaison with Police: If a staff member suffers abuse this will be reported to the police for investigation. Kay’s Counselling will support the police in any investigations with regards to incidents reported with a view to prosecution.