"Insurance Policies"

You’ll probably have heard of employees, partners, flatmates taking out “insurance policies”. Due to the closeness of the relationship, they have access to personal and sometimes damaging information, and may keep this to use it as a lever in time to come. Here is an example. A Church member received a significant housing subsidy. One of the conditions of the subsidy was that she should receive a minimal income. Her income, however, rose above the minimal. Her flatmate broke into her locked drawers, and obtained evidence to prove it. OBSERVATION: This was now the flatmate’s “insurance” against being evicted -- and she should have been evicted, but she had that “power”. I advised our member to bravely break that bondage, and I would give her all the support I could (she didn't break it).