E. Jean Carroll accuses Trump of rape and calls spike to National Sexual Assault Hotline
Since New York magazine published an excerpt from writer E. Jean Carroll’s new memoir alleging President Donald Trump raped her in the mid-1990s, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network's National Sexual Assault Hotline saw a 53% increase in calls between Friday and Monday, among its highest spikes to date.
USA TODAY spoke with RAINN President Scott Berkowitz about the influx of callers and what sexual-assault survivors need when they're triggered by the news.
How does this spike compare to those around Brett Kavanaugh and other news stories on sexual violence?
"We generally do see a spike when some story about sexual assault is in the news, but this is higher than we normally see. The biggest we ever saw was the day after the Kavanaugh hearing (338%). It was not as big as that, but bigger than around the Cosby verdict (6%) and around the Access Hollywood tape (15%)."
Why do you think that is?
"I think at that time of the Access Hollywood tape, it was very late in the campaign and there was so much going on that even though it got a tremendous amount of attention, it didn't lead to as big an increase in calls. We're in a slower news period, so even though it's getting less press, it's resonating.
It's also the case that people tend to identify when there is a name and a face, just like they did when (Christine) Blasey Ford testified. So many people felt connected to her and felt they had experienced something similar, and I think that's what we're seeing."
What do survivors who read Carroll's story call to talk about?
"A disproportionate number of people who call after a story like this breaks are calling about something that happened to them some time ago. So I think seeing someone talk about their experience — it dredges up memories that are always there, but that people try and not focus on so they can live their day-to-day lives.
The folks that are calling about something that happened a while ago are looking for emotional support, they're looking for someone empathetic who understands and who believes them, and who they can talk honestly to. That's a different type of call than the ones we receive in the immediate aftermath of an assault, in which case they're looking for practical advice, information on medical exams and help with reporting to police."
TRIGGERING NEWS: Tips for sexual assault survivors to deal
What can loved ones do to support survivors of sexual violence?
"There is a big role that loved ones can play here, and it's not that complicated. The most important thing is merely to be supportive and be understanding and to appreciate that this person you love is going through a tough time and reliving a terrible trauma that they experienced.
Be patient — they're not looking for you to solve their problem. They're looking for you to listen and talk and understand and to validate that it wasn't their fault."
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org/online and receive confidential support.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: E. Jean Carroll accuses Trump of rape and calls spike to National Sexual Assault Hotline
