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DC Rape Crisis Center receives spike in calls after R Kelly docu-series

The TV documentary series “Surviving R Kelly” laid out a history of abuse and sexual assault allegations against R&B Singer R Kelly.

The TV documentary series “Surviving R Kelly” laid out a history of abuse and sexual assault allegations against R&B Singer R Kelly.

The show trended all over social media and caught national attention.

Interview after interview, survivors shared their stories of alleged mental and sexual abuse from Kelly during the three-night show.

The series outlined everything from Kelly’s troubled childhood and alleged ‘sex cult’ to accusations of sexual encounters with a minor and the outcome of his arrest and trial.

“It was a hard watch,” Chandra Robinson said.

Robinson, who is the deputy director of the DC Rape Crisis Center, said the docu-series shined a light on issues women face every day.

“Finally, attention brought to women of color that experience sexual assault,” Robinson exhaled. “We know it’s there. The data says it’s there. However, we are underrepresented in the stories.”

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The women featured in the stories on the Lifetime show were met with both support and criticisms on social media.

Some people blamed the survivors and questioned intentions, while others tried justifying Kelly’s alleged actions because he was abused as a child.

“We can’t, as a community, justify hurting somebody else because I was hurt. We can’t,” Robinson explained.

Robinson said the DC Rape Crisis Center has seen a spike in calls to its hotline since the R Kelly series aired.

“This is the time when people want to disclose. This is the time when people want to say ‘Me Too.’ This is the time when people want to say it happened to me or it is happening to me,” she said the center was prepared for the influx in people needing help.

Robinson hopes people in the DC area continue the conversations about sexual assault sparked by the docu-series and continue calling for help.

If you or someone you know was sexually assaulted and needs help, call the DC Rape Crisis Center at 202-333-7272.

Another resource is the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

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