This policy applies to manuscripts that contain:

• Identifiable personal information;
• Photographs or images of individuals;
• Audio or video recordings;
• Interview excerpts that may reveal identity;
• Case reports or case studies involving identifiable persons;
• Court documents or legal materials containing personal identifiers;
• Sensitive qualitative data;
• Any information that could reasonably permit the identification of an individual, directly or indirectly.

The requirement for informed consent applies regardless of whether the individual is named.

Authors must make every reasonable effort to protect the privacy and confidentiality of research participants.

Information that should normally be removed or anonymized includes, but is not limited to:

• Names and initials;
• Facial photographs or recognizable images;
• Residential addresses;
• Telephone numbers;
• Email addresses;
• Social media accounts or usernames;
• Institutional or workplace identifiers;
• Audio or video recordings containing identifiable information;
• Police report numbers;
• Court case numbers where disclosure could compromise confidentiality;
• Medical, legal, correctional, or educational records;
• Unique demographic information that could reasonably reveal identity.

Text, tables, figures, appendices, supplementary materials, and datasets should all be reviewed carefully to ensure participant confidentiality.

When identifiable information cannot be fully anonymized or when publication itself may reveal a participant's identity, authors must obtain written informed consent for publication before submitting the manuscript.

The informed consent process should ensure that participants understand:

• The purpose of the research;
• The purpose of publication;
• What information will be published;
• The potential audience for the publication;
• That published material may remain permanently available through open-access publication and indexing services;
• Any reasonably foreseeable risks associated with publication;
• Their voluntary agreement to publication.

Additional protections are expected for research involving:

• Children and adolescents;
• Persons deprived of liberty;
• Crime victims;
• Survivors of violence or abuse;
• Individuals with diminished decision-making capacity;
• Indigenous Peoples and culturally distinct communities;
• Refugees, migrants, and displaced populations;
• Persons under judicial supervision;
• Other vulnerable or legally protected groups.

Where participants cannot legally provide informed consent, written permission must be obtained from a parent, legal guardian, or other legally authorized representative in accordance with applicable laws and institutional ethical requirements.

Authors should also ensure that participation is voluntary and free from coercion or undue influence.

Research involving human participants should receive prior approval from an appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB), Research Ethics Committee (REC), or equivalent ethics body whenever required by institutional policies or applicable regulations.

Authors should provide within the manuscript:

• Name of the ethics committee;
• Approval or protocol number, where applicable;
• Date of approval, when available.

Where ethical approval was not required, authors should provide a clear explanation.

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that:

• Appropriate informed consent was obtained where required;
• All necessary ethical approvals were secured before conducting the research;
• Participant confidentiality has been protected;
• Identifiable information has been published only with appropriate permission;
• Consent documentation will be retained securely and can be provided to the Editorial Office upon reasonable request.

The journal normally does not require submission of consent forms in order to protect participant confidentiality but may request confirmation or documentation if ethical concerns arise.

During editorial evaluation, the Editorial Office may request clarification regarding:

• Ethical approval;
• Participant consent;
• Anonymization procedures;
• Protection of confidential information;
• Compliance with institutional or national ethical requirements.

Where concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved, editorial consideration may be suspended or the manuscript may be rejected.

If concerns regarding participant privacy or informed consent arise after publication, RSCSL will investigate the matter in accordance with its Publication Ethics Policy.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may:

• Request correction or anonymization of published material;
• Publish a correction or editorial notice;
• Issue an Expression of Concern;
• Retract the article;
• Remove content where necessary to comply with legal or ethical obligations.

Editorial actions will seek to balance the integrity of the scholarly record with the protection of participants' rights and welfare.