RAINN, Emmy Rossum Partner to Confront Realities of Sexual Violence

RAINN and Emmy Rossum are joining forces to deepen public understanding of the realities of sexual violence and the strength of storytelling.

Partnership Launches Following Rossum and RAINN’s “Furious? Good. Now What?” Conversation at WME’s Inaugural Women’s Health Summit

LOS ANGELES, (November 5, 2026) – RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, and actress and producer Emmy Rossum today announced a new partnership focused on deepening public understanding of sexual violence, trauma and healing, and exploring the role storytelling can play in challenging misconceptions and supporting survivors. Rossum is one of the more than 78 million survivors of sexual violence in the U.S. She joins a long-standing, fierce community of celebrity advocates and allies using their voice to create awareness of sexual violence and support for survivors as the newest RAINN Ambassador.

“Working on ‘Furious’ alongside psychologists and survivors reminded me that there is no perfect way to be a survivor,” says Rossum. “I’ve been so moved by the conversations the show has started. As we’ve seen too often of late, survivors are everywhere—from the halls of Congress to college campuses to the film industry—and this conversation belongs to all of us. Through my partnership with RAINN, I hope to turn that awareness into action: opening up conversations, breaking down stigma, and helping more survivors find pathways to connection, support, and healing.”

The partnership grew out of Rossum and RAINN’s connection through WME and the agency’s broader commitment to creating meaningful impact opportunities for its clients. The two came together at the inaugural WME Women’s Health Summit in Los Angeles on October 15, where Rossum joined RAINN Chief of Victim Services Megan Cutter for an intimate fireside conversation, “Furious? Good. Now What?”

The conversation explored the myths and stereotypes that continue to shape how sexual violence is perceived, the many ways survivors can respond to trauma, and why survivor agency matters at every stage. Drawing on RAINN’s more than three decades of supporting survivors, Cutter also spoke to the lasting effects sexual violence can have on women’s physical and mental health and the importance of meeting survivors with empathy, understanding, and access to support.

The partnership comes at a particularly timely moment, as recent college campus sexual assault allegations have reignited a national conversation about sexual violence, the treatment of survivors and the misconceptions that continue to shape public understanding of trauma. 

“In recent weeks, calls to RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline increased 73 percent,” said Cutter. “The country is having a hard and necessary conversation about sexual violence right now. Too often, what’s missing is an understanding of what survivors actually go through: that trauma responses vary, that there is no single right way to react, and that healing looks different for everyone. Emmy and WME were committed to telling these stories with integrity long before this moment, and that’s what makes them the right partners to help carry this conversation forward.”

Rossum’s connection to the issue deepened through her preparation to play Alice Black, a survivor of abuse, in Hulu’s “Furious.” In developing the character, Rossum worked closely with psychologists to better understand the complexities of trauma and portray a survivor’s experience with accuracy and care. The series focuses not on depicting the violence itself, but on the ways trauma can continue to shape a survivor’s life long after the immediate experience. During the early development of “Furious”, RAINN reviewed select scripts and provided thoughtful feedback to the production around the series’ sensitive subject matter. RAINN’s expertise helped inform the team’s approach to handling these themes with care and consideration.

During the early development of “Furious”, RAINN reviewed select scripts and provided thoughtful feedback to the production around the series’ sensitive subject matter. RAINN’s expertise helped inform the team’s approach to handling these themes with care and consideration.

Bringing together RAINN’s expertise in supporting survivors and Rossum’s platform as an artist and storyteller, the collaboration will focus on challenging stigma, amplifying survivor voices, and using storytelling to foster greater understanding of trauma, connect survivors with critical resources, and encourage more thoughtful representations of sexual violence across the entertainment industry.

RAINN’s victim service programs have helped more than 5.5 million people since the nonprofit’s founding in 1994. Last year alone, half a million people reached out for hope, healing, and justice.

About RAINN

RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and creator and operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline. RAINN’s mission is to stop sexual violence by supporting survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, and creating safer communities. 

RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free, confidential, 24/7 support is available in English and en Español. Call 800.656.HOPE (4673), chat at RAINN.org/hotline, or text “HOPE” to 64673.

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