What We Can Do: Support RAINN

Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen at least a few snippets of the Epstein files.  You’ve probably noticed that not much has been done to punish the perpetrators or support the victims. 

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There were horrific acts committed against children and young women, and it seems like most of the perpetrators are going unpunished.  Unfortunately, this kind of sexual violence is rampant.  If you’re anything like me, you’re feeling so much rage right now.  It’s hard to know where to channel it or what to do with it. 

That’s where RAINN comes in.  I know that educating yourself on what grooming and sexual exploitation look like doesn’t feel like much.  I know that donating to an organization working to end sexual violence doesn’t feel like much.  But it’s what we as ordinary people can do, and I’d rather focus on what I can do than what I can’t do.

Per RAINN’s website, they are “the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline, RAINN’s mission is to stop sexual violence by supporting survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, and creating safer communities.” 

If you take nothing else from this post, I encourage (okay, beg) you to read about grooming here.  If you’re not familiar, grooming is defined as “the deliberate act of building trust with a child, teen, or at-risk adult (such as an adult with a cognitive impairment) for the purpose of exploiting them sexually. Grooming typically starts with friendship, mentorship, or kindness that gradually turns into manipulation, control, and sexual abuse or assault.”

RAINN also provides helpful information about advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.  One of their recommendations is to find and support your state’s coalition against sexual assault.  They recommend a Google search with your state and keywords such as “anti-sexual assault coalition.” 

For example, in North Carolina, it’s NCCASA, North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault.  They work on everything from legislation to funding and staffing rape crisis centers.  I’m not sure about other states, but NCCASA has a paid membership that is a great way to help support their work. 

I know these are tiny things, not even a drop in the bucket, really, but it seems better than just screaming into the void.