If someone is in immediate danger
Contact the local emergency services or police where you are. Seek urgent medical help if needed. Do not wait for a reply from St. James. Our email and telephone contacts are not emergency services and are not monitored continuously.
Raise a concern
Use one of the general office channels below to request a private conversation about a concern connected with St. James. You may begin in English or Spanish. These contacts are not an emergency hotline or an anonymous reporting service.
For an initial message, explain the type of concern, whether anyone is currently unsafe, and a safe way and time to contact you. Suggested email subject: Safeguarding concern.
Please do not send identity documents, medical records, graphic material or detailed personal histories through the general contact form. Ask how to arrange an appropriate follow-up before sending sensitive information.
What you can raise
A concern may involve something that happened to you, something you witnessed, or a risk to another person. You do not need to investigate or prove what happened before asking for help.
Abuse, sexual exploitation, harassment, threats or degrading treatment.
Inappropriate personal or sexual boundaries, coercion, misuse of authority, or pressure linked to support.
Serious neglect or unsafe conditions in a residence, mentoring relationship, activity or work opportunity connected with St. James.
Retaliation, intimidation or attempts to stop someone from raising a concern.
Participants, residents, staff, volunteers, mentors, families, visitors and partners can raise concerns. Concerns about leadership can also be raised. You do not need to speak to the person involved before seeking help.
Respectful conduct and personal boundaries
Our Catholic mission begins with the dignity of each person. We expect people involved in St. James activities to respect personal boundaries, privacy, conscience and the right to speak up.
Treat people with respect. Do not use humiliation, threats, violence or sexual harassment.
Keep mentoring and other support relationships appropriate to the role. Do not use a position of trust to obtain personal, financial or sexual favors.
Do not make assistance conditional on personal favors or a private relationship.
Coordinate visits and activities with the responsible team. Follow the instructions for the setting and ask before arranging private contact or an activity outside the agreed role.
Obtain appropriate permission before sharing photographs or identifiable personal stories. Respect a person's decision not to participate.
Do not threaten or disadvantage someone for raising a concern in good faith.
Privacy and follow-up
Tell the person you contact how it is safe to reach you and whether contacting you could place you at risk. You may ask to have a trusted person support you during a conversation.
Complete secrecy cannot be guaranteed. Information may need to be shared with appropriate people or authorities to protect someone or meet applicable obligations. Ask who will receive your information and how it will be handled before sharing further details.
At the start of a follow-up conversation, ask who is responsible for the concern, what the next step will be, and how you can follow up. This page does not promise a particular investigation outcome or response deadline.
If you need another route
If a concern involves your usual contact, you may approach the other office or seek help directly from an appropriate external authority. You do not need St. James's permission to contact police, a local protection authority or a relevant diocesan safeguarding office.
If you feel unsafe using an internal channel, or believe an internal response has not addressed the risk, seek appropriate external help. In an emergency, contact local emergency services rather than waiting for an internal response.
If someone shares a concern with you
Listen calmly and take the concern seriously. Do not press for graphic details, confront the person alleged to have caused harm, or attempt your own investigation. Do not promise secrecy.
Help the person seek an appropriate reporting route and immediate assistance when needed. Avoid circulating their account, identifying information or images in group chats or social media.
Related information
For information about personal information shared with St. James, read our Privacy Policy. For ordinary program questions or inquiries, use our Contact page.