Washington, D.C., July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, today announced that survivors can now reach RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline through Signal, the encrypted messaging app. The new access point launches on the 32nd anniversary of the hotline’s very first call and adds to the ways survivors of sexual violence already connect with RAINN—by phone, online chat, text, and messaging on WhatsApp.
RAINN’s victim service programs have helped more than 5.5 million people since the nonprofit’s founding in 1994. Last year alone, half a million people reached out for hope, healing and justice.
With Signal, survivors can message a trained, trauma-informed support specialist through a platform many already use every day. No account details or personal information are required to connect, and conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption.
“Thirty-two years ago today, we answered the first call to the National Sexual Assault Hotline. That call was a promise—that anyone who reached out would find a caring, trained person ready to help. Bringing the hotline to Signal keeps that promise for a new generation of survivors, meeting them on a platform they already trust so that support is always within reach.”
— Scott Berkowitz, President and Founder, RAINN
“Reaching out for help takes courage, and survivors deserve to do it in the way that feels safest to them. Meeting survivors where they are means meeting them on the channels they turn to in everyday life. Whether someone contacts us by phone, chat, text, WhatsApp, or now Signal, a trained support specialist is ready to listen and help.”
— Megan Cutter, Chief of Victim Services, RAINN
Why Signal? Why now?
Privacy and confidentiality for survivors has never been more relevant. For example, hundreds of survivor names, photos or identifying details were leaked in the release of the Epstein files, adding additional layers of resulting trauma for victims. This is fresh in survivors’ minds as they make decisions about seeking help, and they should not have to question confidentiality in their most vulnerable moments.
RAINN has always been on the forefront of survivor privacy, pioneering hotline technology that prioritizes the safety and confidentiality of visitors. Every new channel RAINN brings online is built to the same standard: anonymous, confidential, and encrypted end to end.
Signal is another such access point to RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline platform. On Signal, messages are fully encrypted, personal details are redacted in real time, and no identifying information is stored. Conversations arrive in the same secure console RAINN’s support specialists already use, so survivors reach a person—not a bot.
“For a survivor, trust is everything. End-to-end encryption isn’t a feature for us—it’s the standard, because the technology has to be aligned with our mission. On Signal, your conversation is fully encrypted and your privacy is protected from end to end. The whole point is to open one more safe path between a survivor and a trained human being.”
— Bill Bondurant, Chief Technology Officer, RAINN
Signal joins RAINN’s phone, online chat, text, and WhatsApp access points as one more free, confidential way for survivors to reach support.
Reaching the National Sexual Assault Hotline on Signal
You can use Signal to get help on the National Sexual Hotline two ways. You can visit RAINN.org/hotline and click on the Signal link that takes you straight into the app where you can message a support specialist at RAINN, or you can launch your Signal app and text 202.729.9590.
Jennifer Simmons Kaleba RAINN 301.456.0510 jennifersk@rainn.org
