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Abbreviation | RAINN |
---|---|
Founded | June 8, 1994 [1] |
Founder | Scott Berkowitz |
Type | 501(c)(3) [2] |
52-1886511 [2] | |
Legal status | Nonprofit organization |
Purpose | To help survivors and their loved ones and run programs to prevent rape and hold perpetrators accountable. [3] |
Location |
|
Area served | United States |
Scott Berkowitz [3] | |
Reagan Burke [3] | |
Katharine Miller [3] | |
Traci Sefi [3] | |
Key people | Regan Burke, Christina Ricci, Tori Amos |
Revenue (2020) | $15,833,865 [3] |
Expenses (2020) | $11,618,798 [3] |
Employees (2019) | 258 [3] |
Volunteers (2019) | 4,000 [3] |
Website | www |
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is an American nonprofit anti-sexual assault organization, the largest in the United States. [4] RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, as well as the Department of Defense Safe Helpline, and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice through victim services, public education, public policy, and consulting services. [5]
RAINN was founded in 1994 by Scott Berkowitz, with initial funding from The Atlantic Group and Warner Music Group. [6] Tori Amos was the organization's first spokesperson. [7] [8] [9] Christina Ricci has been the national spokesperson since April 25, 2007, [10] and she is a member of its National Leadership Council. [11] [12]
RAINN was founded in 1994 by Scott Berkowitz. [6] In 2006, its National Sexual Assault Hotline received its one-millionth caller. [13]
In 2014, RAINN attracted controversy for its criticism of the concept of rape culture and its promotion of primarily criminal justice system solutions in its recommendations to the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. [14] In response, Zerlina Maxwell created the hashtag "#RapeCultureIsWhen." [15] Wagatwe Wanjuki, [16] Amanda Marcotte, [17] Jessica Valenti, [18] and others asserted that rape culture exists and denounced relying on the criminal justice system to prevent sexual violence on college campuses. [19] [20]
After Senate unanimously reauthorized the Debbie Smith Act in May 2019, RAINN gathered 32,000 signatures from online petitions in hopes to push Senate Bill 820 toward House passage. The Debbie Smith Act, which aims to eliminate the backlog of untested DNA and rape kit evidence by allocating $151 million annually to state and local labs, was passed by the House in December 2019. [21] [22]
In February 2022, RAINN supported the EARN IT Act, which removes blanket immunity for violations of laws related to online child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Lindsey Graham introduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize tech companies to remove child sexual abuse imagery on their platforms. [23] Also in February, RAINN partnered with Congresswoman Deborah Ross and Congressman Dave Joyce on the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) Act, which is designed to address the nation-wide shortage of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and improve care for survivors of sexual violence. It bill was also endorsed by the American Nurses Association and the National Network to End Domestic Violence. [24]
In April 2022, Insider published an article about RAINN's workplace culture in which 22 current and former staff members alleged racism and sexism. A rape survivor story by a higher-ranked Navy physician was chosen to be published on RAINN's web site, but later wasn't published due to Berkowitz not wanting to jeopardize RAINN's $2 million contract with the United States Department of Defense. When The Lily interviewed a woman for International Women's Day, she said she was tired of the homophobic lies about the LGBTQ community, which risk the murder of black trans women. The interview noted the woman was employed at RAINN. RAINN's vice president of communications said the interview was "too controversial" and might jeopardize RAINN's contract with the Department of Defense, and the employee was fired later that day. [25] Six of RAINN's executives resigned soon after Insider published its investigation. [26]
RAINN supported the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022, which passed the United States Senate on November 15, 2022 as well as Congress on December 6, 2022. The act reauthorizes funding for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and provides support to investigate and arrest perpetrators of sex offenses against children. [27] [28]
In December 2022, RAINN collaborated with HBO on an original documentary series titled Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo, which tells the story of child sexual abuse within the La Luz del Mundo church. [29]
The National Sexual Assault Hotline is a 24-hour, toll-free phone service that routes callers to the nearest local sexual assault service provider. More than 1,000 local partnerships are associated with RAINN to provide sexual assault victims with free, confidential services. [30] Since 2008, RAINN has provided anonymous, on-line crisis support through its National Sexual Assault Online Hotline via instant messaging. [31]
Professional wrestler and writer Mick Foley is a member of RAINN's national leadership council and has worked as a volunteer on its online hotline. He became involved with the charity through his friendship with Tori Amos, his favorite musician. [32] During a 15-month period ending in April 2011, Foley logged more than 550 hours talking to victims online. The same month, he offered to mow anyone's lawn who donated up to a certain amount to the organization, saying, "If you want to help survivors of sexual assault, or just want to see a big guy with long hair mowing your lawn in front of your friends, please take part..." [33] [34] [35]
During the Depp v. Heard trial, RAINN noted an increase in hotline calls. RAINN says it provided help to 28% more people in May 2022 than in May 2021, and, on verdict day, it served 35% more people than on average. [36] Following the premiere of Surviving R. Kelly III: The Final Chapter , calls to RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline increased by 46%. [37]
RAINN sponsors an annual campaign geared toward raising awareness and educating students about sexual violence, bystander intervention, and recovery resources on college campuses. Since 2018, RAINN Day is held every April to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). [38] [39]
RAINN has published press releases in support of multiple survivors facing media scrutiny, including Christine Blasey Ford. [40]
RAINN's president, Scott Berkowitz, has also issued multiple public statements, including his belief that arguing against the Keystone pipeline's expansion as a potential conduit of sexual violence is "unusual": [41]
I've not heard this one before as an argument against the expansion of commerce, said Scott Berkowitz, president of Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Workplace-related violence is not terribly unusual, but I think that as an argument for or against a pipeline it's a little unusual.
When a former staff assistant in Joe Biden's U.S. Senate office alleged that Biden had sexually assaulted her in 1993, RAINN tweeted,
"We appreciate Vice President Biden finally addressing Tara Reade's allegations. These allegations deserve a rigorous investigation, and we urge Vice President Biden to release any and all records that may be relevant, including those housed at the University of Delaware, in addition to any Senate records housed at the National Archives. We urge him, his campaign, and former staff to cooperate fully and provide complete transparency." [42]
Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence that includes child sexual abuse, groping, rape, drug facilitated sexual assault, and the torture of the person in a sexual manner.
A rape kit or rape test kit is a package of items used by medical personnel for gathering and preserving physical evidence following an allegation of sexual assault. The evidence collected from the victim can aid the criminal rape investigation and the prosecution of a suspected assailant. DNA evidence can have tremendous utility for sexual assault investigations and prosecution by identifying offenders, revealing serial offenders through DNA matches across cases, and exonerating those who have been wrongly accused.
The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) is a United States federal law signed by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994. The Act provided $1.6 billion toward investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, imposed automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allowed civil redress when prosecutors chose to not prosecute cases. The Act also established the Office on Violence Against Women within the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assault against a small child, whereas sexual abuse is a term used for a persistent pattern of sexual assaults.
Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability, or is below the legal age of consent. The term rape is sometimes used interchangeably with the term sexual assault.
The National Network to End Domestic Violence(NNEDV) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1990, based in the District of Columbia. It is a network of state and territorial domestic violence coalitions, representing over 2,000 member organizations nationwide. The National Network to End Domestic Violence works to address the many aspects of domestic violence.
Rape in the Philippines is considered a criminal offense. In Philippine jurisprudence, it is a heinous crime punishable by reclusión perpetua when committed against women. Rape of males is also legally recognized as rape by sexual assault, which is penalized by imprisonment of six to twelve years.
The Debbie Smith Act of 2004 provides United States federal government grants to eligible states and units of local government to conduct DNA analyses of backlogged DNA samples collected from victims of crimes and criminal offenders. The Act expands the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and provides legal assistance to survivors of dating violence. Named after sexual assault survivor Debbie Smith, the Act was passed by the 108th Congress as part of larger legislation, the Justice for All Act of 2004, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 30, 2004. The Act amended the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000, the DNA Identification Act of 1994, the Violence Against Women Act of 2000, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Act was reauthorized in 2008, extending the availability of DNA backlog reduction program grants, DNA evidence training and education program grants, and sexual assault forensic exam program grants through fiscal year 2014.
Rape in the United States is defined by the United States Department of Justice as "Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." While definitions and terminology of rape vary by jurisdiction in the United States, the FBI revised its definition to eliminate a requirement that the crime involve an element of force.
Campus sexual assault is the sexual assault, including rape, of a student while attending an institution of higher learning, such as a college or university. The victims of such assaults are more likely to be female, but any gender can be victimized. Estimates of sexual assault, which vary based on definitions and methodology, generally find that somewhere between 19 and 27% of college women and 6–8% of college men are sexually assaulted during their time in college.
Amy Ziering is an American film producer and director. Mostly known for her work in documentary films, she is a regular collaborator of director Kirby Dick; they co-directed 2002's Derrida and 2020's On the Record, with Ziering also producing several of Dick's films.
After a sexual assault or rape, victims are often subjected to scrutiny and, in some cases, mistreatment. Victims undergo medical examinations and are interviewed by police. If there is a criminal trial, victims suffer a loss of privacy, and their credibility may be challenged. Victims may also become the target of slut-shaming, abuse, social stigmatization, sexual slurs and cyberbullying. These factors, contributing to a rape culture, are among some of the reasons that may contribute up to 80% of all rapes going unreported in the U.S, according to a 2016 study done by the U.S. Department of Justice.
#MeToo is a social movement and awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and rape culture, in which people publicize their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment. The phrase "Me Too" was initially used in this context on social media in 2006, on Myspace, by sexual assault survivor and activist Tarana Burke. The hashtag #MeToo was used starting in 2017 as a way to draw attention to the magnitude of the problem.
1in6 is an American nonprofit organization that provides support and information to male survivors of sexual abuse and assault, as well as their loved ones and service providers.
Sexual assault of LGBT people, also known as sexual and gender minorities (SGM), is a form of violence that occurs within the LGBT community. While sexual assault and other forms of interpersonal violence can occur in all forms of relationships, it is found that sexual minorities experience it at rates that are equal to or higher than their heterosexual counterparts. There is a lack of research on this specific problem for the LGBT population as a whole, but there does exist a substantial amount of research on college LGBT students who have experienced sexual assault and sexual harassment.
"Believe women" is an American political slogan arising out of the #MeToo movement. It refers to accepting women's allegations of sexual harassment or sexual assault at face value. Jude Doyle, writing for Elle, argues that the phrase means "don't assume women as a gender are especially deceptive or vindictive, and recognize that false allegations are less common than real ones."
Surviving R. Kelly is a Lifetime documentary detailing sexual abuse allegations against American singer Robert "R." Kelly. It aired over three nights, from January 3 to January 5, 2019. Filmmaker and music critic Dream Hampton served as executive producer together with Joel Karsberg, Jesse Daniels and Tamra Simmons. Musicians Chance the Rapper, John Legend and Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards appeared in the documentary. Its premiere episode on January 3, 2019, was Lifetime's highest-rated program in more than two years, with 2 million total viewers. It received critical acclaim, with a 95% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The documentary also spurred several musicians who previously collaborated with Kelly on projects, including Lady Gaga and Ciara, to condemn Kelly and remove their works with him from streaming services.
In March 2020, during that year's election campaign for President of the United States, Tara Reade alleged that Democratic nominee Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993 in a Capitol Hill office building when she was a staff assistant in his office. Biden denied Reade's allegation.
Surviving Jeffrey Epstein is an American documentary television miniseries about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, directed by Anne Sundberg and Ricki Stern. It consists of 4-episodes and premiered on August 9, 2020, on Lifetime.
Sexual consent plays an important role in laws regarding rape, sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence. In a court of law, whether or not the alleged victim had freely given consent, and whether or not they were deemed to be capable of giving consent, can determine whether the alleged perpetrator is guilty of rape, sexual assault or some other form of sexual misconduct.
RAINN Response to Biden Addressing Tara Reade's Allegations: "We appreciate Vice President Biden finally addressing Tara Reade's allegations. These allegations deserve a rigorous investigation, and we urge Vice President Biden to release any and all records that may be relevant including those housed at the University of Delaware, in addition to any Senate records housed at the National Archives. We urge him, his campaign, and former staff to cooperate fully and provide complete transparency." — Heather Drevna, vice president of communications, RAINN.