Privacy Policy

SanctuaryNow.gay – Privacy Policy, Cookies Policy, Terms of Service, and Disclaimer

Effective date: August 9, 2009

SanctuaryNow.gay (we, us, our) is a nonprofit committed to protecting and supporting LGBTQ+ people, especially in regions where being LGBT is criminalized. We take privacy and safety seriously. This combined document explains how we handle data, cookies, usage, and the terms around using our site and services.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, how long we keep it, and the rights you have over it. It is written to be applicable to a global audience and to align with major privacy laws (GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA, PIPEDA, Australian Privacy Act, and similar laws worldwide).

1. Scope and principles

We collect and process personal data only when necessary to deliver services, respond to requests, accept donations, recruit volunteers, or meet legal obligations. We prioritize security and confidentiality because many people we serve are at serious risk.

2. Information we collect

We collect the following categories of information when you interact with us:

Contact & identity data: name, email, phone, mailing address, pronouns, and country of residence when voluntarily provided.
Donation data: donation amount, date, donation preferences, and billing details sent to our payment processors. We do not store full payment card numbers on our systems.
Volunteer & applications: skills, CV/resume, references, availability, background checks where required (handled securely and with consent).
Support requests / Help-seeking data: details you share when requesting assistance. This may include sensitive safety information. We handle this with special care and minimal retention.
Usage data: IP address, browser and device type, pages visited, referrer, and time stamp for technical, security, and analytics purposes.
Cookies & tracking: see our Cookies Policy below for full details.
Communications: records of email, chat, or form correspondence when you contact us.

3. How we use personal information

We use information for the following lawful purposes:

To provide and improve services, including emergency rescue, legal advocacy, shelter, medical referrals, education, and food/water programs.
To process donations, deliver receipts, and comply with financial reporting obligations.
To recruit, manage, and support volunteers and contractors.
To respond to requests for help and provide aid in compliance with safety protocols.
To monitor and maintain security, detect fraud, and prevent abuse.
To communicate about programs, events, fundraising, and impact (with your consent where required).
To comply with legal obligations, court orders, or requests from law enforcement in line with applicable laws and human rights safeguards.

4. Legal bases for processing (where applicable)

Under GDPR/UK GDPR we rely on:

Consent (for newsletters, marketing, or optional communications).
Contractual necessity (processing donations, volunteer agreements).
Legal obligation (financial record-keeping, tax reporting).
Legitimate interests (website security, fraud prevention, accessibility), balanced against privacy risks and safety needs.

5. International transfers

We operate globally and may transfer data across borders:

We use cloud providers and payment processors that may store data in multiple countries.
When we transfer data from the EU/UK/Canada to other countries, we apply safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), adequacy decisions, or binding contractual commitments where required.
If you need details about a specific transfer destination or safeguard, contact connect@sanctuarynow.gay.

6. Data storage, security, and retention

We protect your data with industry-standard controls:

Encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest where applicable.
Access controls, role-based permissions, and multi-factor authentication for staff accounts.
Regular security audits and vulnerability testing.
Retention: donor records retained for up to 7 years for tax and auditing; support-case records retained only as long as necessary for safety, then deleted or archived securely. Volunteer/application records retained while active and for a reasonable period after inactivity.

7. Sharing and third parties

We only share personal data with partners necessary to deliver services and only under strict controls. Typical recipients include:

Payment processors: e.g., Stripe, PayPal (you will see their privacy and security policies on their sites). We only pass payment information necessary to process donations; card data is handled by those processors.
Legal and emergency partners: vetted lawyers, shelters, medical providers — shared only with explicit consent or where necessary to prevent immediate harm.
Cloud and hosting providers: for website and secure storage.
Analytics providers: aggregated and pseudonymized where possible (see Cookies Policy).

We require contractual protections with all partners and conduct due diligence on security and privacy practices.

8. User rights

Your rights vary by jurisdiction. Common rights include:

Access: request a copy of personal data we hold about you.
Correction: ask us to correct inaccurate data.
Deletion: request erasure of your data (subject to legal exceptions — e.g., tax or audit obligations, or if data is necessary to protect someone’s safety).
Portability: receive your data in a machine-readable format.
Restriction: request limited processing while a dispute is resolved.
Withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent.

Jurisdictional notes: EU/UK residents may exercise rights under GDPR/UK GDPR. California residents may have additional rights under CCPA/CPRA (e.g., right to opt-out of sale, though we do not sell personal data). Canadian users may make complaints under PIPEDA. Australian users have rights under the Privacy Act. For precise instructions and to submit requests, contact connect@sanctuarynow.gay. We will respond in accordance with applicable law.

9. Children’s privacy

We do not intentionally collect personal data from children under 13 (or under 16 where higher age limits apply) for services that require parental consent. If you believe we collected such data inadvertently, contact us so we can remove it.

10. Data breach response

In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will:

Contain and assess the breach.
Notify affected individuals without undue delay when required by law.
Notify relevant supervisory authorities in applicable jurisdictions (e.g., ICO in the UK/EU supervisory authority) within required timeframes.
Take remediation steps and update protections to prevent recurrence.

11. How to contact us about privacy

If you have questions, want to exercise a right, or wish to make a complaint:

Email: connect@sanctuarynow.gay
Secure contact form: https://sanctuarynow.gay/contact (encrypted submission option available)

If you are an at-risk individual, tell us the safest way to contact you. We will prioritize secure channels and minimal data collection for safety reasons.

Cookies Policy

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the site, improve performance, and measure impact. We do not use cookies to identify or expose people who request help. You can manage cookie choices via our consent banner or your browser.

Categories of cookies we use

Category	Purpose	Examples
Strictly necessary	Core site functions, security, login sessions.	Session ID, CSRF token
Functional	Remembering preferences (language, accessibility).	Language, display settings
Performance	Collect anonymized analytics to understand site usage and errors.	Google Analytics (anonymized), error logs
Targeting & advertising	Measure campaign effectiveness and fundraising outreach. Only used with explicit consent.	Campaign pixels, fundraising attribution

Consent & management

When you first visit, we present a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept all, accept only necessary, or manage preferences. You can change choices anytime using the “Cookie Settings” link in the site footer.

How to opt-out

Use the cookie banner on the site to adjust settings.
Use your browser settings to block or clear cookies.
For advertising cookies, use industry opt-out tools such as aboutads.info or youronlinechoices.com.

Terms of Service

These Terms govern your use of the sanctuarynow.gay website, services, and communications. By using the site, you agree to these Terms.

1. Acceptable use

Use this site lawfully and respectfully. Do not use the site to harass, threaten, defame, or to plan harm. Do not attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems, submit malicious code, or interfere with site operations.

2. Intellectual property

All content on this site (text, images, logos, graphics) is owned or licensed to SanctuaryNow.gay unless otherwise specified. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without permission. For permissions, contact connect@sanctuarynow.gay.

3. Donations and payments

When you donate, you authorize us to process the payment through our payment partners. Donation receipts are provided. Donations are non-refundable except where required by law or at our discretion for demonstrable error.

4. User responsibilities

You are responsible for providing accurate information in forms and for safeguarding any account credentials. If you discover a security issue, please contact us immediately at connect@sanctuarynow.gay.

5. Prohibited conduct

Prohibited actions include:

Posting hate speech, incitement, or violent threats.
Attempting to deanonymize people seeking help.
Spamming or automated scraping of our site.

6. Termination

We reserve the right to restrict access or terminate accounts for violations of these Terms. Termination does not limit other legal remedies we may have.

7. Dispute resolution

We aim to resolve disputes amicably. If we cannot, disputes will be resolved by arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, unless otherwise required by local law. Governing law will depend on the nature of the dispute and the parties involved; we will work in good faith to ensure the fairest jurisdiction for all parties.

8. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted with notice and an updated effective date. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

Disclaimer

Content on this site is for informational and advocacy purposes only. It is not legal, medical, or mental-health advice. If you need legal or medical assistance, seek a licensed professional. We do our best to keep information current and accurate, but we cannot guarantee completeness or suitability for any particular purpose.

We link to third-party resources for convenience. These links do not imply endorsement. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external sites.

To the extent permitted by law, SanctuaryNow.gay excludes liability for indirect, consequential, or incidental damages arising from use of the site or reliance on content. Where local law requires otherwise, liability will be limited to the minimum required by law.

Contact & Legal Information

If you have questions, wish to exercise a privacy right, report a security issue, or seek partnership:

Privacy & data requests: connec@sanctuarynow.gay
Security concerns: connect@sanctuarynow.gay
General inquiries: connect@sanctuarynow.gay
Postal (non-sensitive mail only): SanctuaryNow.gay, fill in the form

If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. If you cannot safely call, use our secure contact form at https://sanctuarynow.gay/contact and follow the guidance on safe communication.

Last updated: August 9, 2025. SanctuaryNow.gay is a nonprofit organization. Registered details and governance information are available on request. For press, donors, or partnership queries, contact connect@sanctuarynow.gay.