How RAINN’s Scott Berkowitz is Changing the Conversation on Sexual Assault
RAINN stands for Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. Celebrating more than 30 years of service, the group has provided a hotline to victims of sexual assault, advocated for survivors and raised awareness about sexual assault in order to end it. RAINN is committed to ending sexual violence by assisting anyone impacted by an act or crime of sexual violence; providing accurate information; advancing public policies related to rape, abuse, and incest; and preventing future acts of sexual violence through education.
RAINN was developed in 1994, following the 1993 Senate confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, who was accused by Anita Hill of sexual harassment. The organization was founded by two childhood victims of child abuse and rape, Marilou McPhedran and Rebecca O’Connor. Today the group operates a national hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) to offer free counseling and support to those who have experienced sexual violence or are concerned that they might be victims.
RAINN has provided advice to both members of Congress and President Barack Obama’s administration on their approach to addressing sexual violence. In 2010, RAINN connected supporters with Congress to create change in the form of the Violence Against Women Act and an expansion of the Family & Medical Leave Act so that victims could take unpaid time off from work to deal with sexual violence.
RAINN also operates an “Out of the Darkness” campus program in which student volunteers educate their peers about sexual violence. This program is currently used at nearly 350 colleges and universities across the country. The program is open to students of all backgrounds and does not deal with any student-specific issues; it focuses on educating students about sexual violence in general. In its first two years, the two-day seminar has trained more than 1,500 volunteers to educate friends, classmates and community members about sexual violence in order to prevent future instances from occurring.