Our Story | REES

Five. For every one-hundred sexual assaults that occur, that’s how many are reported to police. That’s right, only five. Think about that for a moment. 

On a bus, in a classroom, at an office. It is prevalent across communities, campuses and workplaces yet many survivors remain silent. Consider that 95% of incidents are unknown to their campus, their employer, police or the community. 

Think about all the stories that have not been told and the experiences that are never shared. Think about the resources that have not been sought and the support that was not received. 

There is power in telling stories. It can free us, empower us, create accountability, open doors, bring closure and inspire others. REES gives survivors options to share their story, and be heard, in whatever way they choose.

REES believes survivors and we partner with leaders and change-makers from institutions, industries, public sector, private business and community organizations who are committed to supporting survivors and making change. 

We are here. We hear you. 

Although only a small number of sexual assault survivors report to police, many others perceive benefits in reporting, including personal empowerment, validation, perpetrator accountability, and a chance to try to prevent the perpetrator from offending against others

— West Coast LEAF, 2018

What REES Stands For

Respect

that survivors have diverse needs and that a range of reporting options should be available. Providing anonymous data allows a survivor to be counted and have their voice heard.

Educate

survivors by providing information about sexual violence policies and procedures, community resources and supports, evidence collection and retention, healthcare considerations and reporting options.

Empower

survivors by providing options about how, when and to whom they share their story.

Survivors

are at the centre of the work we do. We are deeply committed to developing reporting tools that are survivor-centred and trauma-informed. We work with local experts to understand the unique needs of sexual violence survivors in the community.

The REES Community

Mary Lobson
Founder, CEO

Chris Derossi
Chief Technical Officer

Dr. Jocelyn Proulx
Research Coordinator

Niko Coady
Partnership Coordinator

Carter Dawson
Partnership Liaison

Jess Holman
Partnership Liaison

Nell Perry
Partnership Liaison


Youth Advisory Board (YAB)

Fatima Ali
University of Toronto

Shreyas Chaudhari
University of Manitoba

Reese Estwick
University of Winnipeg

Micah Kalisch
University of Toronto

Gagneet Kaur
University of Windsor

Vatineh Magaji
University of Manitoba

Naomi Stobart
St. Francis Xavier University

Ziyana Kotadia
Western University

Maddie O’Connor
St. Thomas University

Madeline Wiebe
University of British Columbia

Breanna Laggo
University of Winnipeg

Matthew Plaskett
Western University

Georgia LaPierre
Bishop’s University

Fei Qin
University of Windsor


The Community That Cares