A letter from our founder, Jess Ladd
I hope you and your loved ones are well in this challenging and unprecedented time.
I wanted to share some exciting news about a new chapter for Callisto. This winter, I decided it was time to step aside as CEO and make way for new leadership. We now have an opportunity to search for and select a new CEO for this amazing organization.
I deeply love this team and our mission, and believe with all my heart that we are building the smartest solution to one of the most important problems in the world at the exact right time. …
Callisto is hiring, and we’re calling on our friends to help us out. Spread the word by forwarding this message to your networks.
Our vision is a world where sexual assault is rare and survivors are supported. Our mission is to create technology that combats sexual assault, supports survivors, and advances justice. And we can’t do it alone.
Help bring this vision to the world. See our open positions:
Don’t see your dream job but love what we do? Tell us about yourself through our Dream Job form.
We are stronger. Together.
In solidarity,
Team Callisto
The Callisto Survivor’s Guide was written by fellow survivors to remind you that you are surrounded by a community of caring individuals, and that there are many resources available to help you on your journey. “Navigating Professional Sexual Coercion,” is an excerpt from the guide.
If you have experienced sexual coercion in a professional setting, you may feel overwhelmed. Many people do not share or report these incidents because they have no idea where to begin. Please know that your experience is valid and that there are resources to help you move forward in navigating professional sexual coercion.
75% of employee sexual harassment claims include retaliation claims. Men are 27% less likely to report than women. (Source…
The Callisto Survivor’s Guide was written by fellow survivors to remind you that you are surrounded by a community of caring individuals, and that there are many resources available to help you on your journey. The excerpt below, “Reporting an Incident,” is for those who identify as survivors of sexual assault, rape, or sexual coercion. If you are an ally, please share this information with your friend or loved one.
Your story matters. It belongs only to you.
Please know that there is no pressure to talk about or report your story unless or until the time is right for you. If you never choose to report, that is okay too. You can learn more about reporting options, advice for self-care, and how to get emotional help in The Callisto Survivor’s Guide. …
The Callisto Survivor’s Guide was written by fellow survivors to remind you that you are surrounded by a community of caring individuals, and that there are many resources available to help you on your journey. The excerpt below, “Understanding the Language,” is just one section. You can learn more about reporting options, advice for self-care, and how to get emotional help in the complete guide.
As a survivor navigating your options to take action, you may be learning a whole new language of law, policy, and psychology. In this blog post, we will walk you through the most important terms related to rape, sexual assault, and sexual coercion. …
You own your story. Only you can decide if it is the right time in your journey to talk about your experience of sexual assault or sexual coercion with loved ones. If you choose not to talk about it, that is okay too. There is never pressure to come forward if you do not feel ready.
Preparation
If you are feeling nervous, you might want to consider writing down what you want to say beforehand. That way, if you lose your train of thought, get emotional, or have a difficult time finishing, you can rely on your notes. …
Rape, sexual assault, and sexual coercion can have lasting effects
on your mental health. That is because these are serious violations
of your body and trust — and not because you are not strong. As a
survivor, you might develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, or insomnia after an incident.
You might struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, or inadequacy.
None of these responses to trauma make you a weak person, and
there are many resources to help you feel better.
“I thought it was normal. I thought I probably brought it on myself. I thought no one would care. I thought it probably didn’t matter anyway. I thought I wasn’t important enough to bother. I thought I was alone.” …
We are proud of all that we have accomplished in 2018, and we look forward to supporting more survivors as we continue to grow in the new year.
It has been an important year for Callisto.
We launched our new Callisto Expansion product with the startup founder community.
We created The Survivor’s Guide to provide resources for those who have experienced sexual assault, rape, or professional sexual coercion.
We continued to provide a platform for student survivors of sexual assault with our thirteen partner schools. Read about our impact.
We received support from notable philanthropies, including the Skoll Foundation and Reid Hoffman. View our Skoll acceptance speech and read Reid’s thoughts on supporting Callisto.
In 2019, we will continue to support survivors by offering Callisto in new industries, beginning with tech. Thank you for considering an end-of-year donation to help us advance our work. …
Take care of yourself.
Sometimes the pressure to engage in self-care after a traumatic
experience can create even more stress. You may wonder if you
are doing it correctly or you may feel a need to demonstrate your
strength and resilience to others.
We hope that this list will inspire you to engage in self-care that is the right fit for what you need. Remember that whatever works for you is the “right” way.
Research shows that 70% of sexual assault survivors experience moderate to severe distress, which is a larger percentage than for any other violent crime. (NSVRC, 2015)
Talking about, or even thinking about, your traumatic experience can be emotionally draining. Because it is difficult to predict how you might feel on any given day, you might want to consider building a regular plan for self-care. Ideas include going for a run, visiting a museum, taking a relaxing bath, or spending time with a close friend. …
As we roll out Callisto Expansion, we will have legal supports in place, ready to help survivors make the choices that are right for them.
Survivors have options.
Survivors also face risks.
Figuring out what each of those are is hard.
It’s hard to know if you need an attorney.
It’s hard to find one.
It’s hard to afford one.
It’s hard to trust one.
It’s hard wondering whether you’re the only one.
Callisto solves that.
Callisto provides survivors of repeat perpetrators of sexual assault or coercion an attorney focused only on supporting them.
We call them Legal Options Counselors.
What is it?
A Legal Options Counselor is an attorney, vetted by Callisto, who will advise survivors of their rights and will help them navigate options for taking action. All conversations with the Legal Options Counselor are protected under attorney-client privilege to ensure that privacy is protected. …
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