The mounting sexual assault and harassment allegations against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have had an impact beyond news headlines and declining poll numbers: Women have been flooding the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) call center to seek help for their trauma.
RAINN’s live chat helpline has reportedly seen a 33 percent spike over the past week and calls to the telephone hotline are up 35 percent since news was reported of Trump openly discussed trying to bed a married woman, forcibly kissing beautiful women, and grabbing their genitals on a hot mic for Access Hollywood.
The recording has brought more attention to Trump’s history of sexual assault and harassment allegations, including at least one lawsuit filed by a former employee, Jill Harth. Harth’s 1997 complaint detailed multiple unwanted sexual advances from Trump including groping and kissing. Trump and his team have since gone on the offensive, denying the allegations and even going as far to say that the women accusing him and media are conspiring in a lie.
Sharp increases in crisis hotline activity, particularly from victims who have not yet reported the crimes to the police, have followed high-profile scandals in the past.
“The nature of those calls tend to be more emotional support; sometimes they have questions,” particularly regarding time limits on reporting an assault, RAINN’s President Scott Berkowitz told ABC.
News of scandals like Trump’s can be a trigger for assault victims, causing them to relive the trauma of their attacks as the accusations play out in the media. In addition, some Republicans’ continued support of Trump, along with his campaign characterizing his brags about sexual assault as just “talk,” have raised questions about how accusations of sexual assault against women are automatically dismissed. But the one good thing to come out of Trump’s scandal may be that some women are inspired to get help, and possibly justice, for their own assaults.