Queen’s launches VESTA for sexual violence reporting

Queen’s launches VESTA for sexual violence reporting

October 18, 2022

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Queen’s University Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Services (SVPRS) has partnered with VESTA Social Innovation Technologies to provide additional support to students who have experienced sexual violence.

VESTA is a secure and independent recording and reporting system for sexual violence. As of Oct. 13, students can use VESTA’s website or mobile app to record what happened, access resources, and connect with on and off-campus supports, with the option to remain anonymous. This online support hub allows students to record their experience through a trauma-informed question and answer format.

Queen’s University is dedicated to providing survivor-centred tools and supports for students. Students can choose to report the incident to the police, report the incident to the police anonymously, access off-campus support through the Sexual Assault Centre Kingston (SACK), or access on-campus support through SVPRS.

VESTA is already in use in Kingston. VESTA currently works with Kingston Police and SACK, to provide alternatives to formal reporting and to support survivors’ decisions around reporting.  

Access the VESTA tool here on the SVPRS website.

To find out more about VESTA, visit their website. To find out more about how VESTA maintains confidentiality and protects user identities and data, visit www.vestasit.com/FAQ.  

On Oct. 13, VESTA launched to provide Queen’s students with online options — a website and mobile app — for recording and reporting experiences of sexual violence.