Their trust in Mae might stem from the fact that she does have prior relationships with them. They might find it easier to talk about some issues with a person they know, rather than a person who is neutral. Familiarity may be valued over neutrality. In many cultures, the mediation role is traditionally played by someone who has a prior relationship with the parties and who is permitted to use her own values or beliefs to help bring about the resolution. When one talks about community mediation, one needs to consider which community to use as a reference point.
Mediation is a term which has been used to describe many different processes.
If a mediator is characterized as a neutral third party, then the value of neutrality is built right into the definition. Given that not all cultural communities value neutrality in the same way, mediators need to re-think their definitions of mediation and the appropriate role of the mediator. Case 3 Jack rents a condominium apartment from Ken. Ken would like to sell that unit but needs Jack to move out first. In order to persuade Jack to move, Ken has tried to raise his rent, cut off utilities, and neglect maintenance of the condominium.