Last update: September 2025
This document tries to answer in detail the different questions that we are asked, specifically in relation to sensitive reports coming through Talk to Loop to organisations. If you have any additional questions, please let us know, and we can add them in here for the broader community and respond to you directly.
Please find information on our general Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.
Answer. Sensitive feedback refers to any information, concern, or report shared by an individual that involves serious protection, safety, or ethical issues and must be handled with heightened care, discretion, and confidentiality to protect the safety of those involved.
This includes, but is not limited to, allegations or disclosures related to:
Sensitive feedback may be shared by survivors, witnesses, or third parties and must be managed in accordance with key principles including:
These principles guide all actions related to receiving, managing, and referring to sensitive feedback, ensuring that the person sharing the feedback retains control over their information and that no further harm is caused through the process.
Answer. No. Loop does not conduct investigations, as this is not within our mandate. Maintaining our independence and neutrality is central to our role. The responsibility for investigating allegations lies entirely with the organizations or entities concerned by the report, and to whom the referral is made.
However, Loop may act as an intermediary in cases where the survivor, complainant, or witness wishes to remain anonymous. In such cases, if the receiving organisation has additional questions to better understand the context or verify certain aspects of the allegations, and if the author of the feedback provides consent, then Loop may facilitate a relay of those questions to the author of the feedback, and communicate any responses back to the relevant focal point in the organisation, while maintaining confidentiality.
Loop's role as a first point of contact is limited to gathering essential information that allows for a meaningful referral. This includes:
Loop does not gather evidence or carry out fact-finding missions. Our responsibility is to provide a safe, survivor-centered, and confidential mechanism to help direct feedback to the appropriate actor, while protecting the dignity, safety, and choices of those who share their experiences with us.
We try to have as little data on the alleged offenders as possible to be able to make a safe and actionable referral.
Answer. Loop does not investigate reports or verify facts independently. However, in certain cases, particularly when a report contains contradictory or unclear information, such as in allegations of fraud, corruption, or service delivery complaints, Loop may ask further questions to the author to seek clarification. This is done solely to ensure the information in the feedback is clear enough for an organization to take action.
This is most common in feedback related to fraud, corruption, or service delivery, where certain details may be confusing or appear contradictory. In these cases, clarifications are made in a non-intrusive and respectful way, and only with the author’s agreement, when necessary to support an informed referral.
Loop prioritizes safety, confidentiality, and the author’s well-being for all authors and all types of reports. For reports involving GBV, SEA, or child protection, we take special care to minimize any follow-up questions. In these cases, any follow-up is kept to an absolute minimum and is guided by informed consent and protection principles. Survivors are never pressured to respond and always remain in control of how much they wish to share.
Answer. No. Loop does not escalate or report individual sensitive feedback directly to donors. Once a referral is shared with the relevant organisation (with consent), it is the responsibility of that organisation to decide whether and how to inform their donors, in line with their own internal policies and donor agreements. Loop's role is limited to facilitating safe, confidential, and consent-based feedback sharing.
If the organization does not respond, even after Loop follows up with different contacts to find the right referral point or mechanism, and there is no confirmation of receipt, Loop may, with the author’s consent, share the feedback with another relevant actor who may respond, for example, an interagency referral mechanism, a donor, or a relevant cluster. In these cases, some information may be removed to protect confidentiality.
Loop may consider an escalation to donors only in cases of serious allegations and only after all other pathways to obtain a response from the concerned organisation have been exhausted. This is done solely to protect aid integrity and safeguard affected communities from further harm.
Answer. Sensitive feedback is prioritized for moderation and is usually reviewed within the same day of submission, typically within 24 hours.
Once moderated, the feedback is processed as a case the same day. This includes conducting a risk assessment and, if appropriate, contacting the author to discuss their options. For urgent cases, referrals are typically sent within 24 hours of receiving consent from the author/ survivor. Referrals are never made without informed consent from the survivor or complainant.
However, delays may occur between moderation and obtaining informed consent, especially if: the author cannot be immediately reached, or they request to be contacted at a specific date or time.
Answer. No, Loop does not provide direct protection case management services. Loop is a platform designed to collect sensitive feedback and reports, facilitates the intake, safe handling, and referral of protection cases to protection focal points within organisations that provide specialized protection services.. Loop does not replace the role of organisations that provide protection case management and support services on the ground. These organisations take responsibility for providing direct case management, support, and follow-up services to survivors.
What Loop does:
What Loop doesn’t do directly:
Answer. To ensure Do No Harm when contacting GBV survivors, Loop follows strict safety protocols, including:
Answer. Loop ensures to obtain consent through a clear, informed, and voluntary process before referring any sensitive feedback to another organisation.
Answer. When sensitive feedback that requires referral to services or investigation is received, Loop follows a structured, survivor-centred approach, in line with protection referral standards. Once informed consent is obtained, or if it is assessed safe to share limited non-identifiable information, Loop prepares a secure referral. This includes completing a referral form with only the information the author has agreed to share, using password protection and encrypted email for transmission. The password is always shared separately for security reasons.
Referrals are sent to designated focal points in the relevant organisation such as those responsible for protection, GBV, child protection, safeguarding, or fraud and corruption. If a known focal point is not available, Loop contacts coordination bodies such as the PSEA Network, Protection Cluster, or GBV/Child Protection Area of Responsibility to identify the appropriate referral channel. Referrals are sent within 24 to 48 hours after obtaining informed consent and depending on urgency.
The receiving organisation is expected to confirm receipt to ensure the referral has been received by the right person or team and is under review. If no response is received, Loop follows up with the organisation or coordination body. For allegations or urgent protection cases where there is still no response after one week, Loop escalates the issue within the organisation or identifies an alternative actor with renewed consent from the author if required.
Answer. Loop applies strict data protection protocols to ensure that sensitive feedback remains secure, confidential, and only accessible to those who need it with Loop.
Answer. When someone reports a protection concern on behalf of another person, Loop follows a survivor-centred, do-no-harm approach:
Answer. When Loop receives a report related to SEA, it is reviewed and assessed for risks, usually within 24 hours. If contact details are available, Loop reaches out to the survivor or complainant to explain referral options and obtain informed consent before any information is shared.
With consent, Loop refers the report to the appropriate focal point within the concerned organisation. If the organisation is not known, or in complex cases involving multiple agencies, Loop refers the report to the PSEA Network in-country, following interagency SEA referral procedures. For urgent cases requiring immediate assistance, referrals may be made to relevant service providers, such as GBV or child protection actors.
Loop does not investigate allegations or verify facts. It acts as a safe and confidential channel to connect people with the right actors. For reports of sexual harassment, Loop refers through the organisation’s internal reporting channels, when available.
Answer. No, Loop’s role is to ensure that serious allegations, including breaches of a Code of Conduct, are referred to the appropriate focal point based on the information shared in the relevant organisation or through the appropriate mechanism, as long as it is safe to do so and informed consent has been obtained.
Loop does not retain or withhold such information for its own purposes. Its role is not to investigative and it does not take action on the case itself. If the organisation is named and it is safe, Loop shares the report, even without personally identifying information, so the organisation can take appropriate follow-up to reduce further risks. If consent is not given, Loop may still share non-identifiable details after conducting a risk assessment.
Answer. Loop conducts a risk assessment and, where informed consent is obtained, refers the report to the implicated organisation through its internal reporting channels. If consent is not given, Loop may still share non-identifiable details if it is assessed to be safe.
If the organisation is not named or known, Loop refers the information, without identifying details, to relevant coordination bodies or anti-corruption actors to support context analysis, sector trends, or triangulation.
Loop does not investigate cases and does not act on them. Its role is to ensure the information reaches the appropriate mechanisms for potential investigation in line with organisational procedures.
Answer. After Loop refers a sensitive report to an organisation (with informed consent), Loop expects the following minimum actions:
This process ensures that the survivor or complainant receives appropriate support, that information is not lost or ignored, and that Loop can safely close the feedback loop with the individual who raised the concern.
Loop does not request detailed case files or confidential findings, just enough information to ensure safety, accountability, and closure.
Answer. Loop’s top priority is the safety and protection of the people who use our platform. To achieve this, we must earn and maintain the trust of the sector.
Loop is not a donor, nor an operational actor. Our role is to safely and confidentially channel information to the right people in a timely manner.
We follow a survivor-centred approach. With the survivor’s informed consent, we share the report with the appropriate organisation and then step back. We are not whistle-blowers, and we do not investigate or stay involved in cases. Our only aim is to contribute to a safer and more accountable humanitarian and development environment.
When Loop receives a sensitive report that involves your organisation, we refer it to your existing reporting mechanisms. From there, it is your responsibility to manage the case as you would do with any other complaint or report, including fraud, corruption, SEA or misconduct.
Answer. Loop strives to close the feedback loop to ensure that authors of all feedback, including sensitive feedback, are able to understand the status of their cases and provide additional feedback on the process. Where possible, Loop collects feedback from authors who have been referred to other actors for services, in order to understand their experience and incorporate it into future referrals. This communication not only helps authors provide additional input on the process but also supports transparency and accountability.