Sexual Assault Reports Spike Due To Trump

ABC News reports:

With sexual assault accusations against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump continuing to make headlines, the sexual assault hotline run by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) has seen a spike in calls.

Starting last Saturday, RAINN officials said their live chat helpline saw an increase in use of 33 percent, and in recent days, calls to the telephone hotline have also increased. Currently, call volume to the helpline is about 35 percent higher than it was last Thursday, according to RAINN President Scott Berkowitz.

RAINN said it started to receive more calls and visits to its online helpline after a recording emerged last Friday of Trump making lewd comments about women ahead of a taped “Access Hollywood” appearance in 2005. “A lot of people calling have specifically said that it was the Trump stuff that got them thinking [about calling],” Berkowitz told ABC News.

RAINN warns survivors of sexual assault that consuming media can be difficult if sexual assault is depicted. “Portrayals of sexual violence in movies, television shows, the news, and social media can prompt negative reactions, from flashbacks and anxiety to feelings of sadness or irritability,” the organization advises online.