Emmy Rossum Joins RAINN as Hotline Calls Surge

Emmy Rossum has signed a new agreement to serve as an ambassador for RAINN, the largest anti-sexual violence nonprofit in the United States. The deal aligns the actress’s public profile with the organization’s service network as national attention turns to survivor support.

The partnership coincides with a sharp increase in demand for RAINN’s services. In recent weeks, calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline rose by 73 percent. Megan Cutter, RAINN’s chief of victim services, attributes this jump to a wider national conversation about sexual trauma.

Cutter noted that the current climate often lacks clarity on how survivors react. She explained that trauma responses vary widely and there is no single correct way to heal. Rossum and her agency, WME, joined the effort to help articulate these nuances to a general audience.

The collaboration stems from Rossum’s role in Hulu’s series Furious, where she played an FBI agent and abuse survivor. During production, the show’s creators worked with forensic psychologists, trauma therapists, and former FBI agents. RAINN also acted as a script consultant during the show's early development stages.

Rossum stated that working with these experts showed her that there is no perfect way to survive sexual violence. She aims to use the partnership to open conversations and help survivors find support pathways. Her goal is to move public awareness toward concrete actions that reduce stigma.

The announcement came one day before Rossum appeared at an event in Los Angeles titled Raising the Prevention Generation. The invite-only brunch was co-hosted by WME and RAINN. Participants included RAINN founder Scott Berkowitz, communications vice president Jennifer Simmons Kaleba, and medical director Dr. Karen Kay Imagawa.

At the event, the group discussed how adults can address consent and boundaries in a digital world. Jeanell English, head of community and impact at WME, said the partnership helps clients convert personal interests into public impact. She emphasized the power of storytelling to shift perspectives on survivorship.

The alliance traces back to a fireside chat at WME’s Women’s Health Summit in October. Rossum and Cutter spoke about myths surrounding sexual violence and the importance of survivor agency. That discussion led to the current formal partnership between the actress and the nonprofit.

Berkowitz said the timing is critical as news of campus assaults continues to make headlines. He noted that recent incidents at universities like Cornell have forced a national reckoning. He described the moment as a wake-up call for parents who want to understand how to protect their children.

Rossum believes that television and film offer a unique way to process trauma. She argued that characters allow audiences to feel emotions that public service announcements cannot convey. This emotional connection, she said, helps reduce the isolation often felt by survivors.