The documentary series Surviving R. Kelly led to a 40% increase in calls Friday and Saturday to the National Sexual Assault Hotline.
What We Know:
- Lifetime partnered with RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Hotline) on a sequel to the 2019 Surviving R. Kelly docuseries, with Part II: The Reckoning, which aired on January 2nd, 2020. The episodes included the hotline number on-screen to motivate sexual assault survivors and their loved ones to seek help.
- This marks the second time this has happened for the hotline service. After Surviving R. Kelly premiered for the first time around, the hotline saw a rise in calls by at least 27% in a mere week.
- Brie Miranda Bryant, Lifetime’s Senior VP for unscripted programing, stated on a press release Tuesday “It’s wonderful to know the documentary has inspired necessary and needed conversations to occur and we’re extraordinarily happy with our survivors for his or her braveness, who by standing up for themselves, stand for a lot extra.”
R Kelly spit, assaulted her, and ejaculated on her face. She filed charges and was treated like a suspect
This is why women don’t report.
Lanita did everything right #SurvivingRKelly— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) January 4, 2020
- Kelly is currently detained in a Chicago prison and faces multiple charges. The total is 18 federal counts of aggravated criminal assault of a minor, in both Illinois and New York. The hashtag #survivingrkelly has become popular as of late.
The first part of the 3 part series, which first aired in January 2019, was widely recognized as having the intent to make R. Kelly’s accusations more public and eventually lead to his arrest back in July.
