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".

The hotline is completely confidential and anonymous. Staffers on the hotline will never ask for a visitor’s personal information, including their name, location, or their family’s immigration status. Whether someone is concerned about the police, or about family members finding out, we’re here to support and not judge, says Claudia Figueroa, National Sexual Assault Hotline shift lead. “Sexual violence is more common than we think and it is never the survivor’s fault. Seeking help is a way of moving forward and healing, your voice is your power.”

"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."

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. 

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.

RAINN is working with state agencies to address emergency preparedness and response measures for survivors of sexual violence, particularly children, during the COVID-19 pandemic. “During natural disasters and in conflict zones, the prevalence of sexual violence increases,” said Camille Cooper, RAINN’s vice president of public policy. “There are so many things we need to consider in this crisis to ensure that we’re doing all we can to prevent sexual violence and appropriately respond when it does happen.”