Reporting sexual assault, harassment online

A technology platform for reporting sexual assault and sexual harassment is spreading from colleges and universities to Silicon Valley’s technology industry.

The service offered by San Francisco-based Callisto is intended to “identify serial perpetrators of sexual assault and/or harassment,” according to the company.

Callisto started in 2015 as a pilot program at the University of San Francisco and Pomona College, and the reporting service is now available for students at 13 colleges, the company said.

Now, Callisto plans to make

its platform available in the business world and will launch in Silicon Valley this summer, according to a new report.

A single report of sexual harassment or assault does not trigger a response by Callisto — but it’s noted, and if the same alleged perpetrator is reported again, a counselor gets in touch with both people who have made reports, Axios reported Wednesday.

“In the Silicon Valley version, (alleged) victims will submit a timestamped report of the incident confidentially,” according to Axios.

“Once there’s a match of victims with the same perpetrator, a Callisto counselor will review the cases and discuss with the victims their options, which can vary from reporting to law enforcement to going to the press.”

Initially, at least, the counselors will be lawyers, keeping alleged victims’ information and discussions private under attorney-client privilege in the event of legal action, Axios reported.

Those reporting sexual harassment or assault will be put in touch with others who have named the same person as a perpetrator, the company said.