La línea de ayuda es completamente confidencial y la persona que accede a esta línea de ayuda permanece anónima. El personal en esta línea de ayuda jamás le pedirá a la persona que llama información de carácter personal, por ejemplo, su nombre, en dónde se encuentra, o el estado inmigratorio de la familia. Si a alguien le preocupa la policía o bien que sus parientes se enteren de lo ocurrido, estamos para servirles y no para juzgarlos, dice Claudia Figueroa, líder de turno para La Línea de Ayuda de Abuso Sexual. "La violencia sexual es más común de lo que pensamos y las/los sobrevivientes nunca son culpables del maltrato. Una forma de avanzar y de sanar es buscar la ayuda. En su voz está el poder".

"This notion of normalizing violence as a way of life has got to stop," says Ann Mukherjee, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America. "We have to stop prioritizing maintaining appearances over justice. It’s time to break down those walls."

Each month, RAINN highlights a member of its National Leadership Council. The NLC is a group of dedicated individuals who have shown their commitment to RAINN’s mission of supporting survivors and ending sexual violence. This month we checked in with John Marciano, long-time RAINN supporter, partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, and founder of the John and Lauren Marciano Legal Fellowship — RAINN’s first public policy fellowship to advance our work in ensuring justice for survivors of sexual violence.

The just-released RAINN app offers survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones support, self-care tools, and information to help manage the effects of trauma. “Anyone can use the app,” said Sorensen. “Whether you’re a survivor, a loved one looking to get support, or any person looking to learn more about how to prevent sexual violence and support survivors. We’re here for you.”

Each month, RAINN highlights a member of its National Leadership Council. The NLC is a group of dedicated individuals who have shown their commitment to RAINN’s mission of supporting survivors and ending sexual violence. This month we checked in with Micheline Pitt, business owner, supporter, and survivor. "By sharing, we make a safe place for others to share their own stories and experiences."

The COVID-19 crisis has upended life in every home across the country—especially for children. For most, being away from school and daycare means more time at home with loving families, but some children are having the opposite experience. Since March, more than half of those reaching out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline have been minors, and of those who talked about their coronavirus-related concerns, 3 out of 4 said they were living with the person who was abusing them during the quarantine.

This year during Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, RAINN focused on the vital role friends and family play in supporting survivors. “We hear time and again from survivors that the support they receive from those they’re closest to can have a huge impact on their healing,” says Heather Drevna, vice president of communications at RAINN.