Three different people share what it means to be a victim of sexual assault.
"I tried to mask the shame and embarrassment I felt."
"I questioned myself and what had just happened, thinking something must be wrong with me…."
"… they doubted my story, leaving me feeling isolated and invalidated."
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). RAINN - as the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization - leads the way in helping those impacted by trauma. A sexual assault happens every 68 seconds in the United States, with thousands of children, young people, and adults impacted each year. Sexual violence robs its victims of many things: security, safety, confidence … and, too often, their voices.
2013 Miss America Mallory Hagan, sexual assault survivor advocate Julie Wallach, and 2022 Miss Wisconsin Hollis Brown — three different people who know firsthand what it’s like to experience sexual assault. Each week this month, we’ll share one of their stories: How they found the courage to talk about what they faced, and to speak out against sexual violence.
Thanks to you, RAINN can give survivors the help and hope they truly need. We provide immediate services to victims. We educate the public on the crisis of sexual violence. We advocate for legislation that protects and bolsters survivors. Because of your support, we help more survivors to have their voices heard.
We’re proud to stand with Mallory, Julie, and Hollis this month to share their stories and break through the silence around sexual assault. Like many victims, they faced too-familiar barriers … shame, doubt, and disbelief from those around them. Today, Mallory, Julie, and Hollis are more than survivors: They are fierce advocates for others who’ve experienced sexual violence, providing hope — and their voices — to raise awareness.
Continue to be a partner with RAINN. Help raise awareness and give survivors back their voices to speak out on sexual assault. Please make your most generous gift to support them during April.
"No one should endure the pain of trauma in solitude, and I am determined to ensure that no survivor ever feels alone on their path to healing." – Hollis Brown
At RAINN, we’re committed to making sure survivors don’t feel alone. Through our services, advocacy, and training, we build a community of resiliency, courage, and healing. We hope you will join us to end the silence.
Thank you for being with us. Come back in future weeks to learn more about Mallory, Julie, and Hollis stories and more.