Lisa's News

RAINN AND ACCLAIMED AUTHOR TEAM UP
FOR INNOVATIVE ONLINE FUNDRAISER!

Bloggers from Across the U.S. and Canada to Raise Funds and Awareness for Thousands of Dollars Worth of Prizes!

(Los Angeles, CA) March 31st, 2008 - April marks the fourth annual National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and it's a big month for the Rape and Incest National Network (RAINN, www.rainn.org.) One of RAINN's immediate goals is to raise enough money to be able to offer victims of sexual abuse, sexual assault and rape an online hotline offering nonstop counseling and assistance. RAINN's Chelsea Bowers, Kevin Apgar (kapgar.typepad.com) and Sexography author Carly Milne have banded together to launch a one-of-a-kind online fundraising event to help RAINN reach that goal!

"Almost half of all sexual assault victims are under 18 and 80% are under 30," says Bowers, RAINN's Development Associate. "The National Sexual Assault Online Hotline provides this generation with a safe, secure and anonymous way to get help in a familiar instant messaging format."

As RAINN was making fundraising plans, Milne – whose memoirs is both a tragic and comedic tale about her journey of sexual self-discovery and survival of rape and abuse – approached Apgar to help her raise awareness about her book. Apgar had launched a successful blogger campaign for another author, but Milne wanted to do something unique to help other survivors. With RAINN's 24/7 campaign as an inspiration, Apgar and Milne designed a fundraiser encouraging the online community to join a blogathon designed not only to raise money for RAINN, but also encourage an open, honest and healthy discussion about sexuality.

But that's not all! The top three fundraisers will earn prizes for their efforts – with the grand prize totaling $3500 – and the most entertaining writers will qualify for a weekly prize to reward their creative prowess. Prize sponsors who have graciously donated their wares include The Moxie Girls and Moxie Design Studios, Jimmy Belasco Candles, Jewelry Designer Huli Sloane, Photographer Raphael Sloane, Whole Foods, Exquisite Restraint, Master Stylist Djuna Citrin, Zhen Beauty, Booty Parlor, Sex educator and Village Voice columnist Tristan Taormino, Brookside Premium Chocolate, Clothing of the American Mind, Psychic Ida Hartsman, Come As You Are, Snow Queen Vodka, Changing Hands Bookstore and author Lisa Solod Warren. Links to sponsor sites and participating blogs can be found at http://kapgar.typepad.com/my_weblog/gbbmc2008.html.

By opening up the online community to help a quality charity, the team hope not only to encourage people to assist a worthy cause, but also to help change the way we communicate about sexual abuse, assault, and sexuality as a whole.

Says Bowers, "Recognizing National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month brings light to an issue that is often ignored, though it touches so many of us. We are so grateful to be working with Carly and Kevin, two invaluable supporters, who've devoted so much passion and energy to the fight against sexual assault."

About RAINN
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline with a nationwide partnership of more than 1,100 local rape treatment hotlines, providing victims of sexual assault with free, confidential services around the clock. The hotline helped 137,039 sexual assault victims in 2005 and has helped more than one million since it began in 1994. RAINN educates more than 120 million Americans each year about sexual assault. RAINN is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization and has been ranked as one of America's 100 Best Charities by Worth Magazine.

About Sexography
By turns serious and playful, Sexography maps the comedic coming of age, tragedy and liberating rebirth of one woman's sexual self. From "making out" with imaginary Hollywood stars in her closet (and getting busted) to coming to terms with abuse, assault and rape, from embracing her curiosity enough to become a sex toy tester to accepting and dealing with her tumultuous past, Carly Milne paints a brutally honest and amusing picture of what it's like to learn about and experience sex in every sense of the word. Spanning Milne's childhood in Canada all the way up to her present-day life in Los Angeles, Sexography will change your mind about why and how survivors survive.

# # #