When Tracy DeTomasi began her career in the early 2000s working in the area of sexual violence, she did not arrive with a headline story or a defining trauma to share. She arrived with something else – compassion with the innate gift of being able to listen and support others.
That sense of trust, of people feeling safe enough to speak, became the foundation of a career now spanning over 25 years. From working with youth in group homes to national nonprofit leadership, Tracy’s journey has been one of profound listening, unwavering clarity, and now, transformational leadership as CEO of Callisto—a tech-for-good nonprofit creating encrypted tools that help survivors of sexual violence take action on their own terms.
Tracy’s story is one of a strategist, a licensed clinical social worker, and an advocate who has long believed what many fail to recognize: that more survivors would come forward (and find justice) if they had a safe way to do so.
Before the Callisto Movement, There Was the Work
Tracy’s path began with a population often misunderstood and deeply underserved: adolescent boys who had caused sexual harm—many of whom had also experienced significant trauma themselves. While in graduate school, she took an internship working as a therapist for adolescent boys who had sexually offended. To most, this might seem like an unusual or even controversial entry point into advocacy. But to Tracy, it revealed the full scope of the root of sexual assault behavior, and the clearest leverage point for change.
“When I worked with sex offenders, it was with teens, so they were juveniles,” she explains. “You could watch the changes happen in them. You could watch them understand what they did was wrong—because they were children. They did not fully understand what they were doing, but they were causing significant harm.”
Many of the boys she worked with had also been victimized. “They were victims and perpetrators,” she notes. “If you could stop that behavior, you were preventing victims from ever happening. If you did not interrupt it, most, if not all, of those boys would have gone on to continue to offend well into adulthood…And accountability was a key factor in creating that change.” That understanding of sexual harm as a cycle partially rooted in trauma and systems failure—would shape everything Tracy did next.
Prevention Is not a Buzzword. It’s a Responsibility.
Tracy’s early career put her at the frontlines of trauma—first as a therapist, then in management, and then in leadership roles across nonprofits serving survivors of violence. Over time, her focus shifted from direct care to systems-level strategy.
“I recognized that my skills were actually better suited to help other people help people, rather than doing the work myself. As I kept growing in my roles, I really started to realize that we were band-aiding the problem. We were trying to put a band-aid on a waterfall,” she says. “We need to move upstream. We need to figure out what’s the cause of this. Helping survivors like this is not sustainable. The numbers weren’t changing. The one in five, the one in four…those stats never changed.”
As Tracy started taking on more leadership roles, she shares that she “took a bigger approach and started thinking more about prevention. I created programs to get men involved, and to get to the root causes of violence against women and gender-based violence—like how the joke connects to the bruise. That was a lot more rewarding because it got me out of the echo chamber. I’ve always been one to try to get people who do not understand this issue involved in this issue.”
For Tracy, rooted in her experience of working with perpetrators in the past, the solution became clear: continue to address perpetrators, and not just any perpetrators—serial perpetrators.
That’s where Callisto comes in. “Callisto’s technology embodies the principles of the work that I had done prior to taking on the role of CEO. We have a scalable solution, and I know we’re supporting survivors because, over the decades I’ve done this work. When I talk to survivors, they often say: ‘I reported because I didn’t want my perpetrator to hurt anyone else.’ ‘I wish I had reported—I feel guilty that I didn’t—because I feel responsible for him hurting someone else. While they have no need to feel guilty or responsible, it doesn’t stop many from having those feelings.'”
Callisto Vault: Technology That Trusts Survivors
Callisto is a nonprofit with a tech startup’s soul—one built around a simple but powerful question: What if survivors could take action without risking their safety, privacy, or autonomy? The result is Callisto Vault, a secure, encrypted digital space where survivors—specifically those with a .edu email address, can find out if someone else has been harmed by the same person. The proprietary Matching System is the first and only tool that allows a survivor to learn if their abuser is a repeat offender without having to publicly identify themselves, report to authorities, or even identify the name of the abuser. While this idea may seem unimaginable, it is made possible by a new cryptographic technique called “privacy-enhancing technology” or “PET.”
The Matching System enables survivors to enter unique identifiers such as social media handles, phone number, email address, etc. of the perpetrator. If another survivor(s) that uses Callisto enters the same unique identifier(s) there is a “match,” and a Legal Options Counselor (LOC) reaches out to all matched survivors, offering free and confidential assistance. Each survivor then decides their next steps. The LOCs can help connect matched survivors safely so they can take action together if they choose to do so. As found during #MeToo, survivors are more likely to report, and to be believed, if they are not the only victim.
If a match occurs, a Legal Options Counselor reaches out confidentially to each survivor. From there, it’s up to them if, when, and how to take action.“Callisto changes that factor,” says Tracy. “It allows survivors, whether or not they report outside of Callisto, to be able to find out if somebody else has been harmed—and then to take action.”
Callisto Vault is not only revolutionary—it’s already working. “During our pilot, we identified one serial perpetrator for every 37 people who entered into matching,” DeTomasi reveals. “And that was with very few people even knowing about us at that point. This early success shows just how much potential there is to uncover patterns of harm and bring attention to serial perpetrators who might otherwise remain undetected. As awareness grows and more people use our platform, we expect to make an even more significant impact in the future. The work we’re doing now is just the beginning, and the ripple effect of this model has the potential to create real change, protecting survivors and holding serial perpetrators accountable.” Callisto is on a mission to stop serial sexual assault, one match at a time.
A System Designed to Be Different
The current landscape for survivors is bleak. Reporting often results in disbelief, re-traumatization, or no action at all. Statistically, only 0.25% of sexual assaults lead to a conviction and incarceration. “It’s not that survivors don’t want accountability,” Tracy explains. “It’s that they’ve tried the systems that are supposed to deliver it, but those systems fail survivors over and over.”
Survivors want what everyone wants: to be safe, to be believed, and to be heard. Callisto is offering that experience—quietly, securely, and without forcing anyone to go public before they are ready. “I tried to leave the field of gender-based violence,” Tracy admits, “and Callisto brought me back. Because it’s a solution.”
More Than Tech. It’s a Movement.
Callisto currently is a free solution that is available to over 21 million people across the U.S. and its territories who have access through their .edu accounts. According to recent internal Callisto research, 90% of account holders feel more secure simply knowing the platform exists.
But the work is far from done, and Tracy knows that technology alone will not change the world—people will. “We need donors to invest in this and offer courage capital,” she says. “This is a really new technology and not everyone understands the need for it. But we need people to be willing to stand up.”
And to the donors holding the deep pockets? “You’re not just investing in outcomes. You’re investing in a vision. If we hold perpetrators accountable now, they’re not going to get into positions of power in 40 years.”
Listening—Then Acting
Beyond the boardrooms, while speaking with stakeholders and advocating for Callisto, Tracy is still listening—to the survivors who confide in her, to the staff who work in silence to shift the culture, and to the donors, students, and skeptics—especially the ones who say nothing at all.
If you ask Tracy what keeps her going? “Survivors. Their strength, courage, and belief that healing is possible keep me going,” she says. “Throughout my years working in group homes, I was constantly inspired by young people who faced their trauma head-on, often engaging in therapy and healing in ways many adults never do.”
Who Should Be Paying Attention
If you are a podcast host, conference organizer, college administrator, or philanthropist with a bold vision—you need to hear Tracy DeTomasi speak.
DeTomasi goes beyond expertise, she has perspective. And she’s stewarded a solution that flips the power dynamics in favor of survivors, without sacrificing safety or nuance. “Survivors don’t often tell their families they are survivors,” she reminds us. “So how do we get people to care? By building a system that lets them take action privately and safely.”
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
This April, amplify solutions—not just statistics. Invite Tracy DeTomasi to speak. Feature her on your platform. Fund the tech that could help end serial perpetration. And help shift the cultural conversation from reactivity to responsibility.
Contact Tracy: tracy@projectcallisto.org
Website: www.projectcallisto.org
About Tracy DeTomasi
Tracy DeTomasi is the CEO of Callisto, a nonprofit dedicated to combatting sexual violence through innovative technology and survivor-centered solutions. With 25 years of leadership in the nonprofit sector, Tracy has held numerous high-profile roles, including previously serving as Executive Director of global nonprofit focused on ending domestic and sexual violence.
Tracy’s unique expertise as a licensed clinical social worker comes from her extensive experience working directly with survivors and offenders. Her early career as a therapist working with offenders provided her with a rare and critical perspective on the dynamics of gender-based violence, positioning her as a leading expert in prevention and intervention strategies.
Tracy has been instrumental in advancing trauma-informed programming, shaping domestic violence laws in the U.S., and driving global initiatives to address gender-based violence. She has consulted on developing cutting-edge tech solutions, including mobile applications for violence prevention, smartphone-based safety tools, and virtual reality training programs designed to dismantle racial and gender oppression. Her leadership continues to shape the future of violence prevention, advocacy, and systemic change.
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