Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

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.[7] In the summer of 2006, RAINN received its one millionth caller[8] and it has helped over 2.5 million visitors since 1994.[9] Since 2008, RAINN has provided anonymous, on-line crisis support through its National Sexual Assault Online Hotline via instant messaging.[10]

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.[11] 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..."[12][13][14]

Every year, RAINN sponsors RAINN Day, a campaign geared toward raising awareness and educating students about sexual violence, bystander intervention, and recovery resources on college campuses. It used to be held in September,[15] but as of 2018 will be held in April to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM).[16]

RAINN has published press releases in support of multiple survivors facing media scrutiny, including Dr. Blasey Ford.[17]

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":[18]

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.

RAINN has also taken a position on Joe Biden's accuser. "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.[19]

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. RAINN President Scott Berkowitz and then Vice President for Public Policy Rebecca O’Connor said,

"In the last few years, there has been an unfortunate trend towards blaming “rape culture” for the extensive problem of sexual violence on campuses. While it is helpful to point out the systemic barriers to addressing the problem, it is important to not lose sight of a simple fact: Rape is caused not by cultural factors but by the conscious decisions, of a small percentage of the community, to commit a violent crime. … You may note that we have not used the term “primary prevention,” which is widely used in the field. That is because we have a different definition of primary prevention than many. We believe that the most effective — the primary — way to prevent sexual violence is to use the criminal justice system to take more rapists off the streets.

Caroline Kitchens of the American Enterprise Institute supported RAINN's position. [20] In response, Zerlina Maxwell created the hashtag "#RapeCultureIsWhen."[21] Wagatwe Wanjuki,[22] Amanda Marcotte,[23] Jessica Valenti,[24] and others asserted that rape culture exists and denounced relying on the criminal justice system to prevent sexual violence on college campuses.[25][26]

In 2022, Business Insider published an exposé of the RAINN workplace culture in which 22 current and former staff members alleged racism and sexism. RAINN president and founder Scott Berkowitz made $481,000 while staff were paid so poorly they qualified for public housing. For its own staff, RAINN provided sexual harassment training that was sexist and racist. Former employee April Cisneros asked, "How can RAINN be helping survivors externally, when they're traumatizing survivors and their own employees internally?" Because of a desire to keep a lucrative Department of Defense contract, none of RAINN’s published stories by survivors of sexual assault in the military feature scenarios in which an attacker outranked their victim. RAINN hired the law firm, Clare Locke LLP, which represented clients facing #MeToo allegations, including Matt Lauer and the former CBS News executive Jeff Fager, to respond to Insider's inquiries. During Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing, Clare Locke's cofounder came to Kavanaugh's defense, writing: "No wonder Judge Kavanaugh is angry. Any man falsely accused of sexual assault would be."[27] RAINN lost six executives in the weeks after Insider published its investigation.[28]

• List of anti-sexual assault organizations in the United States
• Post-assault treatment of sexual assault victims
• Rape in the United States

• Official website