RAINN VP Delivers Keynote, Shows How Tech Professionals Can Build a Safer Future for Survivors

RAINN’s vice president of victim services, Keeli Sorensen, delivered a keynote address last month at cloud communications company Twilio’s annual conference in San Francisco. In her speech, Sorensen emphasized the role that technological innovation and infrastructure play in RAINN’s everyday work to support survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones.

“These technologies have made it possible for people to get the emotional support they need, develop safety plans to leave abusive environments, and learn ways to report their assaults to law enforcement,” says Sorensen.

That’s why RAINN and Twilio are partners in an initiative to boost RAINN’s ability to support survivors and their loved ones in a time of crisis through the use of innovative technologies. Because of this partnership, countless individuals have already received support through Twilio’s Programmable Voice and Programmable SMS technologies.

The partnership is part of Twilio’s social impact arm’s Crisis Response and Prevention Initiative. As part of the initiative, RAINN will receive funding to help further its mission of ending sexual violence, and will be a member of Twilio’s Crisis Response Technology Network (CRTN), intended to help nonprofits develop communications technology to serve individuals and communities in times of crisis.

“At RAINN, we’ve been able to serve tens of thousands of survivors every month because we marry the right technology with excellent service,” said Sorensen in her address. “We’re determined to keep doing this to make sure survivors have every chance to access the support they deserve.”

The rape kit backlog is currently one of the biggest obstacles to prosecuting perpetrators of sexual violence.

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Out of every 1,000 sexual assaults, 310 are reported to the police.

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