For many survivors of sexual assault, coming forward feels impossible. The fear of not being believed, the trauma of reliving the experience, the uncertainty of a complicated legal system – these barriers are very real, and they keep countless survivors silent. In fact, fewer than 10% of campus sexual assault survivors ever report their experience to a school or law enforcement. The perpetrators, meanwhile, continue to harm others.
That’s where Callisto comes in – a nonprofit organization using cutting-edge technology to give survivors options, privacy, and a path toward justice that doesn’t require them to report on anyone else’s timeline but their own.
Founded in 2011 by sexual assault survivor and advocate Jess Ladd, Callisto was built to address a broken system. The organization recognized what researchers and advocates had long known: most sexual assaults are committed by repeat perpetrators. Over 90% of campus sexual assaults are carried out by offenders who assault an average of six times before they graduate.
Yet, because survivors often report separately (if at all), these serial offenders go largely undetected.
Callisto’s answer was to build something the legal and institutional world lacked: a private, encrypted platform where survivors could securely document their experience and – most importantly – find out if their perpetrator harmed others (without ever having to make a public report).
Today, Callisto’s platform – called Callisto Vault – is available to every college and university in the United States for free.
Callisto Vault gives sexual assault survivors access to two distinct, powerful tools. They can use one or both – entirely on their own terms.
The Incident Log is a private, encrypted space where survivors can document what happened – at their own pace, in their own words, in an environment where they feel safe. The log creates a timestamped record that is stored securely and is only accessible to the survivor who created it. It is not sent to the school. It is not shared with law enforcement. No one else sees it.
But if a survivor later decides they want to report or pursue legal action, that log is invaluable. A detailed, timestamped account created close to the time of the assault can be critical evidence. Callisto makes this possible without pressuring survivors into any particular course of action.
Survivors can answer as many or as few questions as they choose. The process is trauma-informed, allowing breaks and non-linear storytelling – because that’s how traumatic memories work.
This is where Callisto’s technology becomes truly groundbreaking. The Matching System allows a survivor to enter unique identifiers of their perpetrator – such as a social media handle, email address, or phone number – into an encrypted database. If another survivor enters that same identifier, a match occurs.
When a match is triggered, a confidential survivor advocate reviews the entries and then contacts each survivor individually. The perpetrator is never notified. The survivors’ identities are not revealed to each other until they consent. The technology is so secure that even Callisto engineers cannot decrypt the data in the system.
This is the digital answer to the “whisper network” (the informal, unreliable way survivors have historically warned others about dangerous individuals). Callisto replaces whisper networks with something encrypted, legally actionable, and empowering. While it’s not a warning system or a database that people can sort through, it does allow survivors to connect with others who have been harmed by the same person.
The results speak for themselves: Approximately 1 in 40 survivors who opted into the Matching System have matched with another survivor who identified the same perpetrator. That’s not just validation – it’s the kind of corroboration that can change the outcome of a legal case.
Why This Matters: The Serial Perpetrator Problem
One of the most sobering realities of sexual violence is how rarely a single assault is truly the first. Research consistently shows that the vast majority of sexual assaults on college campuses are committed by a small number of repeat offenders. These individuals learn quickly that the system is unlikely to hold them accountable – and they use that knowledge to continue offending.
Currently, only 0.25% of sexual assaults result in arrest, felony conviction, and incarceration. That means for every 400 assaults, roughly one ends in any real legal consequence. Perpetrators don’t just get away with it once – they get away with it repeatedly, often for years.
As legal expert Catharine MacKinnon has noted, the system is designed in a way where a single survivor’s word is rarely enough. It often takes three or four people making claims against the same person before institutional credibility shifts. Callisto’s Matching System addresses this reality head-on – connecting isolated voices into a collective one.
Currently, Callisto Vault is available to all U.S. college and university students, staff, and faculty with an active .edu email address. This includes:
Importantly, the perpetrator does not need to be affiliated with the school. As long as a survivor can provide a unique identifier – a phone number, email, social media handle – they can enter into the Matching System.
Once an account is created, survivors retain access even after they leave school. Callisto is also actively working to expand beyond campus communities to serve all survivors in the U.S.
Getting started is straightforward. Survivors can visit callistovault.org and create a secure account using their .edu email. From there, they can access both the Incident Log and Matching System, and use either or both tools at any time.
There is no cost to use Callisto Vault. Survivors can take as much time as they need, return to their entries at any point, and update or edit their entries as they recall additional details.
For more information about Callisto’s work, resources, and how to support the organization, visit projectcallisto.org.
For far too long, survivors of sexual assault have been asked to choose between speaking up in a system that often fails them or suffering in silence. Callisto is changing that binary.
By giving survivors encrypted tools to document their experience privately, and by creating a mechanism to identify serial perpetrators without requiring individual survivors to carry that burden alone, Callisto is building something the legal system hasn’t been able to: a survivor-first pathway to accountability.
Whether a survivor chooses to report today, years from now, or never – Callisto ensures their experience is documented, their voice is protected, and they are not alone.
If you or someone you love has survived sexual assault and you’re wondering what your legal options might look like, speaking with an experienced sexual assault attorney can be an important step – one that doesn’t obligate you to take any action, but can help you understand your rights.
At Dordulian Law Group, our four-tiered SAJE Team (Sexual Assault Justice Experts) works exclusively with survivors of sexual violence. Comprised of a former sex crimes prosecutor, two licensed and nationally-accredited victim advocates, a licensed clinical therapist, and a retired LAPD sex crimes detective, we understand the courage it takes to explore your options, and we’re here to help you navigate the legal landscape with compassion and experience.
If you have questions, call us at (866) GO-SEE-SAM or visit dlawgroup.com. Our mission is to listen, believe, support, and fight for justice on behalf of survivors. When you’re ready to pursue the justice you deserve, we’re here for you.
Author
"*" indicates required fields
