About SOAR

SOAR's mission

SOAR (Speaking Out About Rape) runs national awareness, education and prevention programs to empower survivors of sexual violence and enhance the public's understanding and acceptance of rape victims.

WHAT exactly does SOAR do?

• Provides presentations on rape awareness, focusing on the healing process.

• Educates groups who work with sexual assault victims (such as law enforcement, medical professionals, mental health workers, and advocates) on victim sensitivity and related issues.

• Provides financial assistance to victims when other funds are not available or don't cover a certain expense (e.g., counseling, transportation, security systems, moving expenses, daily living expenses).

• Provides survivors and their families and friends with referrals for counseling, medical assistance, victims' rights information, legal assistance, advocacy, etc.

• Works to improve the response system for victims by writing new laws, strengthening old laws, collaborating on national protocols to create a national unified response, etc.

• Advocates for the advancement of DNA technology and the reduction of the rape-kit backlog, to help promote accuracy and success in the prosecution of rapists.

• Hosts Operation Freefall each year to increase awareness and raise funds.

• Hosts SOAR SPA (Something Positive Afterward) to offer survivors and their loved ones an opportunity for healing and bonding.

• Provides the media with information and tools to discuss sexual assault in productive ways.

How did SOAR come about?

SOAR was founded by Kellie Greene, herself a survivor of rape. Kellie's rapist was not identified for three years, and she needed a positive direction in which to direct her anger. Not wanting the crime to be a "random act of violence," she decided to give it a purpose by speaking about her rape and the journey of her healing. Greene joined the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) speaker's bureau in 1995 and began speaking nationally. Having lived through many of the injustices of the medical and judicial systems, Kellie set out to make positive changes so others might have an easier path to healing. (Full Bio)

How is SOAR funded?

SOAR relies on the generosity of those who make donations to ensure that SOAR continues SOARing!