What Rapetrail lists
Rapetrail does not collect accusations. I am not trained to take reports, and this site accepts no submissions, no evidence, and no private disclosures. What Rapetrail lists is what is already public: assaults survivors have stated publicly, shown at the level of place — county, corridor, crossing — never as a pin on anyone’s door. If it has been said in public, it can be counted here. If it hasn’t, that is your choice, and this page is about how people make that choice safely.
How an assault gets added
There is no form, no application, and nothing to send me. An assault is counted when it enters the public record — when a survivor states it publicly. If you want yours counted, these are the safety practices that matter:
- You decide if, when, and how much. Being counted never requires your real name, a police report, or any detail of what happened.
- Use a device and an account that are safe for you — not one anyone monitors. If home is not safe for this, a library computer or a trusted friend’s phone is.
- A handle is fine. Many people post under a name that is not theirs.
- Give the place at the level you choose: a city or county is enough. Never post an address, a workplace, a school, or your routine.
- You do not have to describe the assault. “I was assaulted in this county” is a complete statement.
- Post somewhere public that you control. Private groups and disappearing stories can’t be counted — they aren’t public.
- Assume anything public can be screenshotted and kept. Post only what you are at peace with being permanent. You can take your own post down later; you can’t recall copies.
Get help first, if you need it
I’ve called RAINN several times in my life — unfortunately, because I needed to; fortunately, because they helped. RAINN runs the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 800-656-4673 (800-656-HOPE), with chat at online.rainn.org. Of the organizations out there, RAINN is the one I trust most.
And if you don’t feel comfortable calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline, you can say exactly that to RAINN and ask them for other options. You are allowed to choose who you talk to. In my experience and judgment, that hotline has a history of harm, and no survivor should have to use a service they don’t trust in order to get help.