How Trauma-Informed Tech Is Transforming Abuse & Harassment Reporting | Mary Lobson, REES Founder

What if reporting sexual violence, domestic abuse, harassment, or discrimination felt safe, clear, confidential, and survivor-centered?

In this episode of 1 in 3, Ingrid sits down with Mary Lobson, founder of REES (Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors), to explore how trauma-informed technology is reshaping reporting systems across college campuses, sports organizations, live music events, workplaces, and community spaces.

Mary shares her journey from frontline domestic violence advocacy to building a privacy-first, trauma-informed reporting platform trusted across North America. We break down what survivor-centered design really means in practice, including:

✅ Encrypted records even the platform can’t access
✅ Plain-language safety and data practices
✅ Ability to document once and decide later how or when to share
✅ Anonymous reporting with secure two-way communication
✅ Repeat perpetrator identification to help prevent continued harm
✅ Tools that reduce the trauma of retelling while identifying trends, red flags, and campus red-zone risk periods

Mary explains how REES empowers survivors without pressure, protects privacy and due process, and gives institutions clear, actionable insights to stop abuse, prevent retaliation, and build safer culture.

We also explore real-world implementations — from festivals replacing “info@” inboxes, to national sports programs addressing bullying and harassment, to tech companies building safety into workplace culture by design.

If you’re a survivor, advocate, administrator, HR leader, Title IX coordinator, campus safety professional, or anyone committed to ending interpersonal violence, this episode offers:

✨ Trauma-informed reporting strategies
✨ Actionable prevention models
✨ Survivor-support language and best practices
✨ Technology frameworks that protect safety, consent, and agency

If this conversation resonates, please subscribe, share, and leave a review — your support helps more people discover tools to build safer communities where we live, learn, work, and play.

Mary's Links: 

https://www.reescommunity.com/

1 in 3 is intended for mature audiences. Episodes contain explicit content and may be triggering to some.

Support the show

If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.

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Thank you for listening!

Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe