The Risk Identification and Safety Assessment (RISA) Tool: A Trauma-Informed and Intersectional Approach to Risk Management
This Resource Spotlight was presented on July 22, 2025.
In this Resource Spotlight, presenters from the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic share their Risk Identification and Safety Assessment (RISA) Tool designed for service providers working with clients who have experienced Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The RISA tool helps service providers conduct a thorough and accurate assessment of their clients’ risk of future violence by accounting for a range of personal, social, and institutional risk factors. The presenters highlight the research that informed RISA and guide participants through the tool with an interactive demo. They also demonstrate how the tool works in a real-life setting with a short role-play, and introduce their new safety assessment tool for GBV survivors.
Recording
Learning Objectives
Following this Resource Spotlight, participants will:
- Understand the importance of using a risk assessment tool when working with clients who have experienced GBV.
- Identify the research that informed the RISA tool.
- Learn how to use the RISA Tool and consider ways to incorporate it into your risk management process.
Speakers
Deepa Mattoo is a dedicated lawyer and intersectional feminist recognized for her commitment to advancing equity, anti-oppression, and anti-racism. Her extensive career spans various legal and leadership roles. Since 2019, Deepa has served as the Executive Director of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic , overseeing multiple departments and directing the Clinic’s intervention and advocacy efforts. She has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada, Parliamentary committees, and UN civil society meetings, advocating on a broad spectrum of social justice and human rights issues. In 2023, Deepa was appointed to the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee ( DVDRC ). Deepa has trained thousands of service providers to support forced marriage survivors, racialized nonstatus women, and clients navigating immigration law. Since 2017, she has shared her expertise as an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School through numerous speaking engagements and interviews. Deepa's contributions have been recognized with several awards.
Emma Copeland is the Training Lead & Technology Coordinator for the Schlifer Clinic’s RISA Project. Emma has been working on the RISA project for the past year as a research and project assistant and has recently stepped into this new role. Emma holds a B.A (Hons) from McGill University in Political Science and History.
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