WATCH Sorensen’s full Speech, which begins at the 6:10 mark HERE

Silicon Valley, CA - RAINN’s vice president of victim services, Keeli Sorensen, delivered the keynote address at Twilio’s annual SIGNAL conference.

In her speech, Sorensen emphasized the importance of technological innovation and infrastructure in RAINN’s everyday work to support survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones:

RAINN’s tech team also finds the best in class technology products that enable us to achieve our mission. And that’s why we now partner with Twilio.

Twilio’s Programmable Voice powers the Safe Helpline, the Department of Defense’s hotline operated by RAINN that provides 24/7 support to survivors of sexual assault in the military. It allows us to discuss therapy options with a US soldier serving overseas and then transfer them seamlessly to a counseling center back in their hometown.

Twilio’s Programmable SMS allows our hotline staff to safely share resources, whether that’s with Peace Corps Volunteers serving in Africa, or NOAA engineers in the Arctic. These technologies have made it possible for people to get the emotional support they need, develop safety plans to leave abusive environments, and learn ways to report their assaults to law enforcement.

At RAINN, we’ve been able to serve tens of thousands of survivors every month because we marry the right technology with excellent service. We’re determined to keep doing this to make sure survivors have every chance to access the support they deserve.