Volunteer Self-Guided Tour
The Online Hotline is secure, confidential, and anonymous. It's a new way for volunteers to help sexual assault victims through an interface that looks and works just like instant-messaging.
Why an Online Hotline?
- Requested by those in need: Many sexual assault victims hesitant to use the phone have specifically asked about a live, online support resource.
- Flaws in current online support: Message boards, blogs, chat rooms, listservs, and email all suffer from a lack of security, confidentiality, anonymity, and trained support.
- Reaching teens and young adults: They use the Web more to find health information and support than to download music (75% vs. 72%), and are the primary audience for sexual assault services.
What does it offer volunteers?
- Flexible, easy scheduling: You control your schedule through a web-based interface. Work shifts from one to eight hours.
- Specialized training and resources: Receive crisis training from RAINN, and access to our extensive online resource library.
- One-click access to helpful information: National and state hotlines, crisis intervention language, and legal and medical materials are instantly ready to provide during a session.
- Volunteer community: Share ideas, feelings, and stories with other Online Hotline volunteers in the forums.
- Constant support and supervision: National Volunteer Supervisors are online during sessions to monitor and assist with calls, and to answer questions.
Next: Following the Tour
Questions?
Contact coordinator@rainn.org.