STISA Survivor Advisory Network (SAN)

The STISA Survivor Advisory Network (SAN) is a formal advisory body composed of adult survivors of Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA) across the world who provide strategic guidance to STISA’s leadership, partners and network. The SAN ensures that STISA’s global infrastructure, technology partnerships, and local capacity-building efforts remain survivor-centered, ethically grounded, and strategically effective. Survivors are the true experts to solve image-based sexual abuse and every survivor deserves access to image-removal as a part of their healing and justice.

                   The Survivor Advisory Network exists to safeguard this principle. 

Survivors of IBSA share an urgent priority: the rapid removal of their intimate content — and the prevention of its re-publication. STISA’s mission is to equip trusted local hotlines and helplines worldwide with:

1. Secure case management systems
2. A consent-based global platform of local hash databases.
3. Training, standards, and coordination

This model strengthens local jurisdiction, protects survivor dignity, and ensures that harmful content is removed and stays removed.The Survivor Advisory Network – with their lived experience – provides oversight, expertise, and accountability within this model.

The SAN advises STISA staff and STISA partners on:  

1. Strategic Direction

• Alignment of STISA’s global-local framework
• Expansion priorities (geographic and technology solutions)
• Ethical survivor engagement standards

2. Technology Direction

• Survivor consent frameworks for hashing
• Data protection principles
• Safeguards around case management systems

3. Policy and Advocacy

• Legislative reform priorities
• Cross-border coordination
• Platform accountability standards

4. Survivor-Centered Practice

• Trauma-informed protocols
• Cultural sensitivity guidance
• Prevention of re-exploitation
• Standards for dignity and privacy

The Network seeks adult survivors of IBSA who:

• Have lived experience of image-based sexual abuse
• Demonstrates leadership in advocacy, redress and litigation, policy, research, journalism, technology, or survivor organizing
• Understand structural reform and digital harm ecosystems across the varied elements of the Internet 
• Commit to ethical, survivor-centered governance that is nonjudgemental and respectful of diverse viewpoints and experiences

STISA seeks geographically diverse representation, reflecting varied legal systems, cultures, and policy environments. We will focus on diverse lived experiences, gender orientations, professions as well as ethnic, social  and culture. Members may include:

• Founders of survivor-led initiatives
• Litigants in precedent-setting cases and redress mechanisms
• Policy advocates and reform leaders
• Researchers and subject matter experts
• Lawyers and technologists with lived experience
• Advocates within the sex worker and adult entertainment industries 

Membership is by invitation or formal application and subject to approval by STISA’s co-founders.

• The Survivor Advisory Network operates as a recognized advisory body within STISA.
• Members serve renewable two-year terms.
• Pending funding, STISA will elect two SAN members to lead survivor leadership
• Meetings occur quarterly (virtual), with additional working groups as needed.
• A written Charter governs confidentiality, decision-making, and scope of authority.

The Network provides formal written recommendations to STISA’s leadership.While advisory in nature, its guidance carries significant institutional weight.

Members are expected to:

• Attend quarterly advisory meetings
• Provide strategic feedback on major initiatives
• Review governance and consent frameworks
• Contribute subject matter expertise upon request and capacity
• Participate in periodic working groups

Participation is voluntary at this stage, reflecting STISA’s current pre-funding phase.

STISA commits to:

• Transparent communication regarding funding
• Clear time expectations and boundaries
• To not share publicly personal stories without express written consent on scope and outlet
• Survivor-led development of ethical standards
• Prioritizing compensation once funding is secured
• Engage with survivors regularly and ask for their input at various stages of the different initiatives.

STISA is actively pursuing funding to provide honoraria and travel support for members. Survivor expertise is professional expertise. Compensation is a priority as resources become available. Upon securing funding, STISA intends to provide honoraria or stipends, provide paid opportunities and bring an in person convening to life to advance our goals.

This is a founding opportunity. Members of the inaugural Survivor Advisory Network will:

• Shape the global governance framework for IBSA response
• Develop consent standards for hashing and case management
• Influence cross-border reform efforts
• Be included in global convenings, networks and upcoming webinars and panel discussions
• Establish the ethical architecture of a new global initiative to support adult survivors
• Build alignment between survivor leadership and technology infrastructure
• Institutionalize survivor leadership in the global digital harm space response across tech and advocacy.

STISA invites adult survivors of image-based sexual abuse who are committed to structural reform and ethical governance to express interest in joining the Survivor Advisory Network. This is an opportunity to shape the global infrastructure that will define how IBSA is addressed for the next decade.

For inquiries or expressions of interest: andrea@stisa.network .