This year RAINN Day is April 14. RAINN Day is an annual outreach by the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, to advance the nonprofit’s ongoing crusade to prevent sexual violence against young men and women on college campuses. The date varies year to year during the month of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. RAINN Day events are designed to educate students and their peers about prevention and provide recovery support for survivors of sexual assault and harassment.
Although live events have always been held on college and university campuses, this year’s RAINN Day events will be held virtually, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
History of RAINN Day
The organization behind RAINN Day, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, recently celebrated 25-years (in 2019) delivering help and hope to the survivors of sexual violence on college campuses. RAINN is changing the way people think and respond to sexual violence in general by shining a light on a topic that is uncomfortable for most people to discuss.
RAINN was founded by publishing businessman Scott Berkowitz in 1994 after getting involved in the issue locally at the prompting of a friend. His original vision for RAINN was to create a telephone hotline for victims after hearing stories first-hand from survivors and volunteers. Twenty-six years later, RAINN is the nation’s leading authority on the issue of sexual violence. RAINN ‘s scope of work today includes coordinating both a national 24-hour phone hotline and an online chat hotline where victims can access confidential help, providing community education, and working to improve public policy at both state and federal levels of government.
Since its inception, the National Sexual Assault Hotline has answered the calls of more than three million young men and women whose lives were shattered by sexual violence. They’ve published multiple press releases in support and on behalf of survivors facing media scrutiny, including Dr. Blasey Ford.