RAINN Hotline Staffer reviews

Upper management lacks experience in managing a national hotline with unique professional challenges regarding sexual violence, triggers, and mental health. Despite gloating how much money the hotline receives, there is NO mental health support. Management will tell you to call a phone number if you've upset (you only receive 3 free sessions and then it's $$) but that phone number always has a queue and tells you to call back later (I've tried at least 5 times). Upper management is unable to take constructive feedback and change policies to better support the hotline staff. They'll just tell you that they hear you and understand it's difficult but nothing will ever change. Management will also openly talk about other staffers in meetings or in reports, and when staffers are either triggered or hit with a incredibly difficult session - they turn a blind eye and tell you to go do self-care. Management only cares about the hotline staff when it comes to getting more money. Hotline staff manages 25+ national/local contracts IN ADDITION to the NATIONAL hotline and most of the time - they just email the details regarding the new contract and you're left alone to navigate all these contracts around the country. There is absolutely zero appreciation or consideration for the hotline staff. There are no mental health benefits. You can only use sick days if you're burned out and had a really hard chat, and if you don't have any sick days? You have to come in or you'll get a verbal warning and risk getting fired. I've also seen staffers actually cry in the hotline room not because of a chat or phone call but because of what management said to them. When people are quitting because of the MANAGEMENT and not the actual heaviness of the hotline that should be a massive red flag. All of the staffers who have been there for a while already know they cannot turn to management and just work quietly focusing on the hotline because they want to still care about their direct services work despite how horrible and toxic this entire place is. It's so messed up. Don't work here, seriously. It'll make you so cynical and depressed, and re-traumatize you altogether while you wonder how you ever once really respected and cared about this place.

There is massive turnover due entirely to management who focuses on ways to criticize the staff and not ways to improve the hotline room. The criticism is very subjective, not everyone is held to the same standards. I saw management take personal phone calls, run errands, and watch videos on YouTube, and when a hotline staffer takes a minute to check their phone while waiting for the next crisis call, they're immediately scolded at. The benefits are terrible. You barely accrue vacation or sick leave, and you're guilt-tripped for taking a day off because you're exhausted.