RAINN recently hosted a virtual coffeehouse discussion with authors, survivors, and activists Kelly Yang and Chessy Prout on creating safer environments for students on high school and college campuses and making sure all survivors have the resources they need to heal. The survivors shared personal stories about their experiences, calling the conversation “a celebration of survivorship.” 

"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."

Tara Palmeri is an investigative journalist and former White House Correspondent for ABC News and Politico. She hosts season two of the podcast, BROKEN: Seeking Justice, which dives into Jeffrey Epstein’s systematic abuse of girls and young women, and the institutions and individuals that enabled him. BROKEN: Seeking Justice premieres September 16—watch the trailer here and read RAINN's exclusive interview with Tara.

If you are a survivor who has recently experienced a sexual assault, you may be considering if a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam is right for you. This can be an overwhelming decision, and that’s why DoD Safe Helpline is expanding the educational resources available to military survivors.

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.”

One tool common to those who sexually abuse kids and teens is grooming: manipulative behaviors that the abuser uses to gain access to a potential victim, coerce them to agree to the abuse, and reduce the risk of being caught. Though grooming can take many different forms, it often follows a similar pattern. 

As states have eased restrictions over the last 60 days, a record number of people have sought services from RAINN. A total of 60,437 people received help from RAINN’s victim service programs in May and June, up 18 percent from the same period last year, and the highest number in RAINN’s 26-year history. “As states began lifting stay-at-home orders and some survivors finally had the privacy to seek out support, RAINN experienced a dramatic spike in people accessing help from the National Sexual Assault Hotline and our other victim service programs,” said Scott Berkowitz, president of RAINN. “In May and June, half of visitors to our online hotline, which sees some of the most urgent cases, were minors.”

According to Department of Justice statistics, Black girls and women 12 years and older experienced higher rates of rape and sexual assault than white, Asian, and Latina girls and women from 2005-2010. Not only do members of the Black communitty experience higher rates of sexual violence, but they often feel they have few options for seeking justice and help due to a number of widespread institutional and historical factors. “If I could say one thing to other Black survivors right now, it would be,’ You matter and there is help,’” said Sonya, survivor and RAINN Speakers Bureau member.

In the just-released children’s book, The Ship We Built, author Lexie Bean tells the story of a transgender boy, Rowan, learning to embrace his own identity while healing from child sexual abuse. 

Members of LGBTQ communities in the U.S. face higher rates of sexual violence than the general population. While many survivors face barriers that may prevent them from reporting sexual violence, such as the fear of being judged or not believed, members of LGBTQ communities often face additional barriers to reporting or getting help. “No one should be denied access to these crucial resources because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” says Sorensen. “All survivors of sexual violence should have access to the support they deserve.”