The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)

The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the "Gender ‘s largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline at rainn.org, and publicizes the hotline’s free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual assault; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual assault, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.
<div id="toc">
<h2>Table of Contents</h2>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_activities"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Activities</span></a>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#w_national-sexual-assault-hotline"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">National Sexual Assault Hotline</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#w_national-sexual-assault-online-hotline"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">National Sexual Assault Online Hotline</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#w_policy-and-advocacy"><span class="tocnumber">1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Policy and Advocacy</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#w_educating-america-to-prevent-sexual-assault"><span class="tocnumber">1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Educating America to Prevent Sexual Assault</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#w_survivors-educating-communities"><span class="tocnumber">1.5</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors Educating Communities</span></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_sources"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Sources</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="w_activities">Activities</h2>
<h3 id="w_national-sexual-assault-hotline">National Sexual Assault Hotline</h3>
Among its programs, RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE. This nationwide partnership of more than 1,100 local rape treatment hotlines provides victims of sexual assault with free, confidential services around the clock. The hotline helped 137,039 sexual assault victims in 2005 and has helped more than one million since it began in 1994.
<h3 id="w_national-sexual-assault-online-hotline">National Sexual Assault Online Hotline</h3>
In 2007, RAINN expanded its hotline services with the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline, the nation’s first secure web-based hotline that provides live and completely confidential help to victims through an interface as intuitive as instant messaging. In November 2007, RAINN won the 2007 NPower Greater DC Region Technology Innovation Award for its innovative use of technology in the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.
<h3 id="w_policy-and-advocacy">Policy and Advocacy</h3>
RAINN also leads national efforts to improve sexual assault laws and policies. RAINN leaders have testified to Congress on issues ranging from DNA to sexual assault in the military, and are regularly consulted by members of Congress, state legislators and others working to improve the system.

RAINN led the national effort to solve the huge backlog of untested DNA evidence from open rape cases. Using  extensive media relationships and lobbying experience, and helped by supporters, RAINN built support for and helped pass the Debbie Smith Act. This law, considered the most important anti-rape legislation ever passed by Congress, is expected to help solve tens of thousands of open rape cases and get thousands of rapists off our streets.
<h3 id="w_educating-america-to-prevent-sexual-assault">Educating America to Prevent Sexual Assault</h3>
Extensive entertainment industry relationships allow RAINN to reach millions of Americans each month with important information about sexual assault prevention, recovery and prosecution. In addition, RAINN uses its community partnerships to put critical information into the hands of young women and men at concerts, on campus and in communities. Through these efforts, RAINN educates more than 120 million Americans each year about sexual assault.
<h3 id="w_survivors-educating-communities">Survivors Educating Communities</h3>
The RAINN Speakers Bureau is comprised of sexual assault survivors, friends and family members from communities all over the country, members frequently share their personal stories with local community groups and hometown media.
<h2 id="w_sources">References</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.rainn.org">The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network</a></li>
</ul>