The holiday season can be an exciting time to gather together with family and friends, but it can also be a stressful time of year for many survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones. Self care is important year-round, but especially during the holiday season, when some survivors experience anxiety, fear, stress, tension, pressure, or fatigue.

Indigenous people in the U.S. face higher rates of sexual violence than the general population, and the majority of these sexual assaults are perpetrated by individuals outside of indigenous communities. During Native American History Month this November, RAINN is looking at some of the barriers to reporting sexual assault that survivors in indigenous communities—which consist of 6.8 million people and hundreds of individual communities—in the U.S. may face if they experience sexual violence. 

The RAINN Speakers Bureau is a network of over 3,500 survivors of sexual violence from across the nation who volunteer to share their stories to raise awareness and let other survivors know they’re not alone. Every survivor is an expert in their own story, but for many, it can be hard to talk about what happened. For those who want to share their stories and are looking for guidance on what to expect when speaking with journalists, on TV, or in front of a crowd, RAINN holds free media trainings.

This November, RAINN honors veterans and all members of the DoD community for their service. Veteran’s Day is a time when many members of the military, veterans, and their loved ones celebrate their service and sacrifices—but it can also be a difficult moment for those who have experienced trauma, including trauma from sexual violence. 

Some victims of workplace sexual harassment are reluctant to report what happened because they fear the effect on their career. For those who leave their job after experiencing harassment or assault, it can be hard to know how to approach a new job search, application, or interview process.

When high profile sexual assault cases are in the news, thousands of survivors and their loved ones contact RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline. For some, this is the first time they are sharing their story. For others, the support specialists on the hotline are the only people in their lives who they know will listen and believe them.

In honor of RAINN’s 25th anniversary, each month we’re taking a closer look at the people and programs that are essential in our work to help survivors today and every day. This month, we’re shining a spotlight on RAINN’s technology team. The technology team is crucial in making sure the services RAINN offers to survivors and their loved ones are safe, secure, private, and available around the clock.

It can be hard to know how to help a loved one who is experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence. That’s why during domestic violence awareness month this October, RAINN is focusing on sharing information for those who suspect someone in their life might need this support.

RAINN and Netflix have teamed up on Unbelievable, an eight-part limited series released last week and inspired by the true events of a serial rape case in Colorado and Washington State. The series depicts what it’s like for many survivors who choose to report sexual violence and the difficulty of receiving a rape kit and repeatedly describing an assault. Unbelievable focuses on how the first response a survivor hears after disclosing can encourage people to continue to pursue healing and find justice.

RAINN today announced a partnership with Lyft to help them hold drivers and riders accountable for maintaining a culture of safety. RAINN’s consulting services team will work with Lyft to create mandatory Community Safety Education for drivers, strengthen community guidelines, and develop trainings for Lyft team members, riders and drivers. Lyft will also make a donation to support RAINN’s victim service, public education, and public policy programs.