By Program Intern Ray Epstein
Sexual assault is incredibly pervasive on college campuses, including campuses throughout Maryland. As we move further and further into an age of digitization, resources for addressing this issue have begun to evolve. Technology has opened doors for confidential reporting and support. Two such resources (both offering different forms of support), Callisto and Respect, Educate, and Empower Survivors (REES), provide online platforms for survivors on their healing journey.
Editor’s note: This article does not endorse either of these products. Its purpose is to provide information on the emerging technologies designed to support survivors and the sexual assault reporting process.
Callisto: An Encrypted Testament to the Message “You Are Not Alone”
Callisto, a non-profit organization, provides a unique, two-pronged innovative resource for survivors of sexual harm: the Matching System and the Incident Log. The Matching System allows survivors to enter unique identifiers (social media handles, email addresses, phone numbers, etc.) of their perpetrator in an encrypted, private format (Callisto, 2024). In the event that another survivor enters one or more of the same identifiers, a match occurs. Following a match, a pro-bono legal options counselor will reach out to request consent from both survivors in order to connect them and facilitate collective action or solidarity (Callisto, 2024).
Another feature of the Callisto platform is the Incident Log. A secure tool which allows a survivor to document the details of their harm as they contemplate next steps (Callisto, 2024). The tool provides a survivor the flexibility to privately record their experience of harm as those memories return, at a pace that feels comfortable for them. The log entries are time-stamped and encrypted (Callisto, 2024).
While Callisto is supported by ambassadorial student representatives on various campuses, and is endorsed as a campus resource by some colleges, it operates as a third party resource. Survivors—both students, faculty, and staff—across the United States, regardless of any campus affiliation or endorsement of the tool, can create an entry using their .edu email address (Callisto, 2024).
Launching nationwide was an effort by Callisto to expand options to survivors at the national level. This move could also act as a catalyst in increasing reporting rates of sexual violence on college campuses, addressing a problem identified by legal expert Catharine MacKinnon in The New York Times: until 3-4 women make claims against the same man, his denial trumps their credibility (MacKinnon, 2018). ). In a recent study, 63 out of 554 men at UK universities admitted to some form of sexual misconduct (Thanvi, 2024). There were 251 incidents reported by those repeat perpetrators. The Maryland Higher Education Commission reported that there were “2,528 incidents of sexual assault or other sexual misconduct during the 2020-2022 cycle.” (Maryland Higher Education Commission, 2022) . Callisto allows survivors to come together and facilitate collective action, increasing their chances statistically of experiencing institutional belief, and simultaneously reinforcing the message of hope survivors so often need to hear: you are not alone.
REES: International Tailored Reporting and Support
Respect, Educate, and Empower Survivors (REES) operates in three overarching categories: Campus, Community, and Corporate. REES Campus — a program active in the US, Canada, (and soon) AU) — offers a customizable platform for partnering universities. This customization ensures that both survivors and key players in administrative processes have access to resources and support specific to their institution; this program acts as an alternative to platforms used by administrators in processes which handle intake for sexual assault (REES Community, 2024).
REES offers a "Connect to My Campus" feature that allows reports to be directed straight to the campus office or a confidential resource, such as an advocate or counselor. Some campuses even have the option to report directly to athletics departments through REES (REES Community, 2024). REES also features an anonymous communications feature through their program, which allows survivors to privately ask questions or chat with an assistant through the system (REES Community, 2024). When customizing in partnership with REES, universities can choose to include a “Repeat Perpetrator Identifier” (RPI) system. REES also uniquely allows entries to be made by both survivors themselves, or bystanders who witnessed events transpire (REES Community, 2024).
Beyond campus partnerships, REES forms partnerships with public-transit, music festivals, athletic organizations, and workplaces to address sexual harm, identify repeat perpetrators, and connect survivors with resources (REES Community, 2024).
Both programs cater to the unique, generally unmet needs of survivors using innovative digital solutions. Callisto's focus on private disclosure and serial perpetrator identification across US institutions. The Incident Log validates experiences, and stores them securely for future use. REES provides an international secure and accessible platform for tailored reporting and survivor support. An important item to note is that Callisto is not a reporting system, while REES can act as one. Both Callisto and REES offer survivors resources for navigating the path towards healing, and are trailblazing a future of innovative resolutions and responses.
Editor’s note: This article does not endorse either of these products. Its purpose is to provide information on the emerging technologies designed to support survivors and the sexual assault reporting process.
References
Project Callisto. (2024). Retrieved from here.
Rees Community. (2024). Retrieved from here.
Mackinnon, C. A. (2018). #MeToo has done what the law could not. Retrieved from here.
Thanvi, I. (2024). 1 in 9 college men admit to committing sexual assault: Survey finds Retrieved from here.
Report on Campus Climate and Sexual Violence at Maryland Colleges and Universities (2022). Maryland Higher Education Commission. Retrieved from here.
