12Delaying or ceasing direct personal response

12 Delaying or ceasing direct personal response

(1) Participation in a direct personal response is voluntary for the survivor. (2) The survivor may delay or withdraw from a direct personal response at any time. (3) Any other person involved in the direct personal response process may delay or cease the process at any time if the person reasonably believes that continuing the process would jeopardise the health or safety of: (a) the survivor; or (b) a representative of the institution giving, or who is to give, a direct personal response in a face‑to‑face meeting on behalf of the institution.

Note: A representative for the purposes of section 12 is an agent or employee of the responsible institution who will be providing a direct personal response on its behalf.

(4) If the survivor delays or withdraws from a direct personal response, or fails to attend a direct personal response or related meeting, the responsible institution must attempt to reschedule or renegotiate arrangements for a direct personal response for the survivor as often as is reasonable. (5) If a direct personal response process is delayed or ceased by another person, the responsible institution must offer to resume the direct personal response process or seek to provide an alternative kind or method of direct personal response for the survivor if the institution reasonably believes that it can do so without jeopardising the health or safety of the survivor.