Revolutionizing Support for Survivors of Sexual Assault
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation, our organization, Callisto, strives to stand out for our unwavering commitment to serving survivors of sexual assault. Founded by the visionary Jess Ladd, we have been at the forefront of creating groundbreaking solutions for systems-level sexual health issues. Today, we delve into Callisto's transformative journey from its inception in 2011 to our most recent innovation, Callisto Vault.
Callisto Campus: Hope for Student Survivors
In our early years, Callisto was dedicated to crafting original technology products, digital content, websites, apps, and software, all designed to tackle sexual health issues head-on. Among these innovations was the remarkable Callisto Campus, a platform that colleges and universities could provide to their students. Its primary goal? To offer unwavering support to survivors of sexual assault by facilitating the reporting process to a Title IX office.
Our unique platform allowed survivors to document their experiences and send their reports digitally to their schools, putting the power back in their hands. For those not yet ready to make a formal report, Callisto Campus offered an ingenious solution - a matching escrow system. Only when another student named the same perpetrator would both reports be sent to the school, addressing the problem of underreporting.
The impact was astounding. Survivors who used Callisto Campus were six times more likely to report their assault and three times more likely to seek mental health services. It was clear that Callisto was making a difference.
Hi. We’re Callisto.
In 2016, SHI officially transformed into Callisto. This name change reflected our renewed focus on empowering and supporting survivors of sexual violence, a shift from our broader initial mission of sexual health. As we continued to gain traction, particularly during the #MeToo Movement, it became evident that despite increased awareness, the systems meant to hold offenders accountable were slow to change.
A New Direction
In response to the pressing needs of survivors and the desire for safer and more effective ways to detect serial perpetrators, Callisto made a pivotal decision in 2019. We chose to terminate formal partnerships with colleges and universities, opting to become a third-party resource, providing services directly to survivors. This shift was driven by our belief that survivors deserved more than what existing systems could offer.
The decision was further validated at the dawn of 2020 when the U.S. Department of Education released new regulations governing campus sexual assault under Title IX. Critics widely lambasted these regulations for discouraging survivors from reporting and failing to adopt a trauma-informed approach.
Empowering Survivors with Callisto Vault
From late 2020 through early 2021, Callisto rolled out an updated suite of tools designed exclusively for survivors. With the return of students to campuses in the fall of 2021, a post-pandemic "Double Red Zone" period emerged, leading to an unprecedented demand for our services. By the end of the 2021-2022 academic year, we had provided access to these new resources to over half a million students across 38 campuses.
In 2022, Callisto unveiled a brand refresh and introduced the world to Callisto Vault. This revolutionary technology includes two tools, the Matching System and Incident Log, giving survivors options they never had before - the ability to securely document an assault or match with others harmed by the same perpetrator. And this is all regardless of whether or not they report.
Empowerment and Accountability
By providing our unique technology directly to survivors, Callisto Vault represents a paradigm shift in communities long entrenched in power structures that perpetuate sexual assault. We are not only breaking barriers but also helping survivors regain control and make informed decisions about if and how to move forward.
In a world where technology can be a force for good, Callisto is honored to be an example of how innovation can transform lives. With Callisto Vault, survivors of sexual assault are no longer alone in their journey, and the world is one step closer to ending the scourge of sexual violence.
Help us reach every survivor of serial sexual assault. Together, we can empower them with more choices, justice and healing.