The following are precautions that you can take to make your computer/device as safe as possible so that your privacy is protected.

Cache and History Cleaning and Erasing Cookies

Once you have finished your NOAA SASH Helpline session with a RAINN support specialist it is important that you clean your cache and history and erase the cookies on your computer or mobile device so that people are not able to go onto your computer/device and check up on what you have been doing. The following is step-by-step directions on how to clean the cache and history. The directions are operating system and browser specific so make sure to pay attention to the relevant information for your computer/device.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have any reason to suspect that someone may be tracking your computer or mobile device usage, please think carefully about whether or not you will want to complete these privacy steps. If someone is tracking your usage, they may grow suspicious if all records of internet activity, call logs, etc. disappear.

WHAT IS THE CACHE?

The cache is an area of the hard disc where web pages are stored when a page is downloaded from the Internet. It allows for recently viewed pages to be viewed more rapidly or even offline.

WHAT IS HISTORY?

The history is a list of the different URLs (or websites) you have visited. This is what fills in the URL line for you when you are returning to a website you have visited before. To see your history on a Mac, type Apple + Y. To see your history on a PC, type Control + H.

WHAT ARE COOKIES?

Cookies are storage files that collect personal information that you have provided to particular vendors on the internet (e.g., your name, address, phone number, things you have ordered, etc.). Only information you have provided is stored and cookies are used to speed up the interactive process when you are online with a vendor. For instance, when you go to Amazon.com you may notice that the advertisements seem to be relevant to your interests, that is because your reading and music preferences are stored in cookies, so that the web page can advertise specific deals that fit your taste.

CLEARING CACHE AND HISTORY

The steps for clearing Cache and History are browser-specific. Choose your browser to learn more about clearing cache and history.

• Chrome Desktop
• Chrome for iOS and Android
• Firefox Desktop
• Firefox for Android
• Firefox for iOS
• Internet Explorer
• Opera
• Safari: From the menu bar click Safari . Choose Preferences . Click on the Privacy tab. Click Remove All Website Data .... Click Remove Now .
• Safari (iOS): Go to Settings >Safari . Scroll to the bottom and choose Clear History and Website Data . Confirm you want to do this by tapping Clear History and Data of Safari .

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM KEYSTROKE LOGGING

Keystroke logging is when someone has installed hardware or software onto your computer/device that tracks all typing that you do. This means that they can trace everything you do on your computer/device from what you type to tracking down usernames and passwords. For obvious reasons this is a dangerous and aggressive form of tracking and can be a difficult thing to trace. For more information on how to see if you have keystroke logging, and what possible options are for removal visit the following article: How To Find Out If You Have A Keylogger Installed On Your Computer

Privacy Policy Effective Date: July 2016

This Online Privacy Policy is intended to describe how the Rape, Abuse &Incest National Network and/or NOAA ("RAINN" "we" or "us") handles information gathered at rainn.org. By visiting rainn.org, or using the NOAA SASH Helpline, you agree to follow the terms and conditions of this Online Privacy Policy. RAINN and/or NOAA may change these terms and conditions from time to time without prior notification, so please consult these terms and conditions regularly for any such changes. Your privacy and security are very important to us. The following information will help you understand what information we collect online, and how we handle that information once we collect it. This policy will tell you if we disclose that information to anyone, and what choices you have regarding how we use that information. Please note that this Online Privacy Policy applies only to rainn.org and the Online SASH Helpline and not to any other website of RAINN or of any other organizations to which we may link or that may link to us. To review the Privacy Policy of NOAA.org, please visit https://www.cio.noaa.gov/services_programs/privacy.html . To review the Privacy Policy of RAINN.org, please visit https://www.rainn.org/privacy-policy/ .

Collection of Information About You

Section A tells you how RAINN gathers information from users of the SASH Helpline, and Section B tells you how RAINN gathers information from users of rainn.org. If you are only using the rainn.org website generally and are not using the SASH Helpline, Section A (immediately below) does NOT apply to you; you should read Section B. If you decide to use the SASH Helpline and then use the rainn.org website separately or during the same timeframe, your use of the SASH Helpline cannot be connected to your use of rainn.org.

A. NOAA SASH Helpline

RAINN operates the NOAA SASH Helpline. The SASH Helpline is staffed by trained crisis support specialists and supervisors who help monitor online sessions. Any information that you share during an SASH Helpline session will be viewed by the RAINN support specialist assisting you, and may also be viewed by one or more supervisors for quality control purposes.

If you provide feedback through an anonymous feedback survey following your session, that feedback may be shared with the support specialist assisting you, and with personnel at RAINN, if applicable. However, the feedback will be anonymous, and we will not ask for your name or any personal information, or attach any feedback to information that you provide during your online session.

Personally Identifiable Information: "Personally Identifiable Information" is information about you that would identify you, such as your name or address. The SASH Helpline is intended to be an anonymous service and you will NOT be asked to provide your name, address, telephone number or e-mail address, at any time during your use of the SASH Helpline. In fact, RAINN and NOAA specifically request, for your own safety and anonymity, that you do not provide any such Personally Identifiable Information when you use the SASH Helpline.

Note that while no Personally Identifiable Information will be asked, support specialists may ask your city and state in order to provide you with local referrals for ongoing support.

The information and text conveyed by you to our support specialists during your online chat session is intended to be part of a private conversation between you and the support specialist, and will NOT be recorded, stored, saved, or catalogued by RAINN or NOAA other than any information provided that is not Personally Identifiable Information and which will only be used only in aggregate reports. Additionally, in order to determine usage levels and average session length, and for other record keeping purposes, an entry will be made in a database containing the start and stop time of each session.

Aggregate Data and Cookies: We automatically gather, or aggregate, certain usage information, such as the number of users of the SASH Helpline, length of stay, and other anonymous data, such as topics discussed. This data cannot be used to identify you personally, and helps us to determine how often the SASH Helpline is being used, at what times of the day, and other useful statistics. This non-identifying information will also be used for research purposes, to improve our understanding of hotline users' concerns and needs. We may use this aggregate data for internal record-keeping and service improvement purposes, and also may share it with sponsors, supporters, academic researchers, or the media.

The SASH Helpline does NOT place any permanent or "persistent" cookies on your computer, although rainn.org does use session cookies (see below). The cookies placed by rainn.org cannot be used to identify you as a user of the SASH Helpline.

B. RAINN.ORG PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION

General. In general, visitors may browse rainn.org without being requested to reveal any Personally Identifiable Information. However, there are pages on rainn.org where we may request Personally Identifiable Information about you, such as your name, address, phone number or e-mail address. rainn.org may also collect information such as your computer's IP address. RAINN may seek such information in order to enable your use of certain parts of the rainn.org website. In addition, we may use such information to analyze site usage for rainn.org, to improve our content, and to customize our site's content, layout and services. Finally, we may use your e-mail address or cell phone number to send you information you request.

Please note that any Personally Identifiable Information provided via rainn.org cannot be connected to your use of the SASH Helpline and once you agree to the SASH Helpline Terms of Service (which must be agreed to prior to your use of the SASH Helpline online service) the SASH Helpline will not record or store your computer’s IP address.

Other Uses. We may use internal service providers to facilitate our services, and, therefore, may provide some of your Personally Identifiable Information directly to them. In addition, we may employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf, such as website hosting, data analysis, and providing customer service. These companies and individuals will only have access to Personally Identifiable Information needed to perform their functions, and may not use it for any other purpose. As noted above, your Personally Identifiable Information provided via rainn.org cannot be connected to your use of the SASH Helpline.

Opt-Out Procedures. If you voluntarily provide your email address or cell phone number and request that we email or text information to you, we may send such emails or text messages. If you decide you do not want to receive such emails or text messages, or if you want us to remove your profile or other information from our files for any reason, please email info@rainn.org and we will remove you from our system.

Aggregate Data &Cookies: We automatically gather, or aggregate, certain usage information, such as the number and frequency of visitors to rainn.org, length of stay, and other anonymous data. This data helps us determine usage levels on different parts of rainn.org, and to conduct other internal research.In addition, we may aggregate such data and disclose it in a non-personally identifiable manner to sponsors, supporters, and other third parties, to generate support for the SASH Helpline or RAINN, or as required by law. In these situations, we do not disclose any information that could be used to identify you personally.

For example, rainn.org uses "session ID cookies." In general, a "cookie" is a small piece of text data stored on a user's computer/device by a website, in order to give that computer/device a unique identity to the website while performing certain processes, such as calculating the number of unique visitors at a given time. Cookies may contain personal information, like email addresses, usernames, or passwords, or completely anonymous information, like a randomly generated number. They may be deleted once a user leaves the site, leaves a section of the site, or closes the browser; or they may remain, so that the website "remembers" the user when he or she next visits.

On rainn.org, we use one session ID cookie. It is used to measure the amount of overall traffic on our website; we use this data only in the aggregate, meaning no individual user can be identified from the data. This cookie is in no way linked to Personally Identifiable Information, and is deleted from the user's computer/device when the user closes his or her browser. We do not use permanent cookies, which retain information past a user's current visit.

How We Protect Your Security

RAINN stores any information on a secure server that is only accessible by RAINN employees or contractors, pursuant to the terms described above. However, as previously noted, we may aggregate certain information and provide such aggregate reports to third parties. Again, we do not store transcripts of communications over the SASH Helpline.

We care about the security of your personal information, and therefore have chosen to use GoDaddy as a security solutions provider.

We employ different security techniques to protect your personal information from unauthorized access by users inside and outside of our organization, including standard encryption practices. You should be aware, however, that "perfect security" does not exist anywhere on the Internet. ALTHOUGH WE BELIEVE WE TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES OF INFORMATION, WE CANNOT ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE SASH Helpline WILL NEVER BE DISCLOSED IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH THIS POLICY, AND MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES REGARDING THE SUFFICIENCY OF OUR SECURITY MEASURES.

Always be careful and responsible regarding your personal information. We are not responsible for, and cannot control, the use by others of any information, which you provide or divulge to them, purposefully or inadvertently. Please note that the owner of any computer/device on which you access the SASH Helpline may have the right to access computers that it owns or has provided. We do not control the privacy policies of others.

For more information on how to keep your computer/device safe, please read our User Safety Procedures above.

How We May Share Information

We will not publish, sell, share, or rent information about you in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement. We use non-identifying information to improve our services and training based on user needs. We may share aggregate information (e.g., patterns, trends) with academic researchers and the public, to help them understand the needs of sexual assault survivors. We may also be forced to disclose information to the government or third parties under certain circumstances. We may be required to (and you authorize us to) reveal any information about you that we possess to law enforcement or other government officials as we, in our sole discretion, believe is necessary or appropriate, in connection with the investigation of a crime, mandatory reporting laws, fraud, intellectual property infringement, or other activity that is illegal, or may expose us, or you, to liability. Also, if we, or a support specialist, fear that you are in danger of committing suicide, or are 17 years of age or younger, we, or the support specialist, may be required to disclose whatever information you have provided to the appropriate authorities. It is possible that a court of law will not keep private, and may require us to reveal, information that you provide during your SASH Helpline session. If you are concerned about this possibility, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline instead, at 800-656-4673 . The data that we collect, and therefore may share, is limited in the manner described above.

OUR POLICY TOWARD CHILDREN

We are concerned about the safety and privacy of children who use the Internet. Consistent with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, we will never knowingly request Personally Identifiable Information from anyone under the age of 13 without prior verifiable parental consent. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with Personally Identifiable Information through rainn.org without verifiable parental consent, we will use our best efforts to remove such information from our files. If a parent or guardian becomes aware that his or her child has provided us with Personally Identifiable Information through rainn.org without verifiable parental consent, he or she should contact RAINN at (202) 544-1034 or info@rainn.org .

OTHER INFORMATION COLLECTORS

Except as otherwise expressly included in this Online Privacy Policy, this document addresses our use and disclosure of information that we collect from you. If you disclose your information to others, different rules may apply to their use or disclosure of such information. We do not control the privacy policies of others. We encourage you to ask questions before you disclose your personal information to others.

Your Consent and Changes in Privacy Pledge.

By using the SASH Helpline or rainn.org, you consent to the terms set forth in this Privacy Policy and the Website User Agreement. We may, from time to time, make changes to this Online Privacy Policy, based on your comments and our need to reflect accurately our data collection and disclosure practices. If we make any substantial changes in the way we use your personal information, this page will be updated and we will post a prominent announcement on rainn.org.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this privacy policy, please contact info@rainn.org .

Alternatively, you can mail RAINN at:

RAINN Attn: NSAH Privacy Coordinator
1220 L St. NW Suite 505
Washington, DC 20005

Please only address questions about the privacy pledge to the above addresses. If you are concerned about a specific page, please email info@rainn.org

User Agreement Effective Date: July 2016

Welcome to rainn.org (www.rainn.org) and the NOAA SASH Helpline. This website is operated by the Rape, Abuse &Incest National Network ("RAINN", "we" or "us"). Please read this Website User Agreement carefully, including our Online Privacy Policy. By using rainn.org and the Online SASH Helpline, you agree to follow the rules set forth here.

Online Privacy Policy

Please review our Online Privacy Policy above, which is part of this Website User Agreement, and describes how we handle information about rainn.org users and users of the SASH Helpline. Please also review our User Safety Procedures above, which tell you what you can do to keep private your communications with RAINN.

Restrictions on Use

All content included on this site, such as text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, photographs, audio clips, digital downloads, data compilations, and software, is the property of RAINN or their content suppliers, and is protected by United States and international copyright laws.

Users of this site may not copy, print, or distribute any of its contents, with the exception of resource articles provided on the website or in the Resource Library. Such resource articles may be used only for informational, non-commercial purposes.

Linking to this site is permitted, as long as the link does not falsely imply or suggest that RAINN has endorsed or is affiliated with the linked site.

Termination of Access to Website

We may, in our sole discretion, terminate or suspend your access to all or part of this website at any time, with or without notice to you, for any reason, including, without limitation, breach of this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any fraudulent, abusive, or otherwise illegal activity, or activity that may otherwise affect the enjoyment of this website or access to this website by others, may be grounds for termination of your access to all or part of this website at our sole discretion.

Copyright Notice

RAINN respects the intellectual property rights of others and reserve the right, at its sole discretion, to block and/or terminate access to this site from those that infringe on the rights of others.

Copyright Policy

If you believe that a copyright work that you own (or have an exclusive right to) has been copied without your authorization, and is accessible on our website, you may notify us by providing the following information to our designated contact.

Give enough information to enable RAINN contact you regarding your complaint, including your name, address, telephone number, and email address, if available. Identify the material(s) and/or work(s) that you claim are being infringed upon on this site, and the material(s) that are causing such infringement, and give enough information (such as a web page address) to locate such material(s) or work(s) within the site. State that you have a good-faith belief that use of the material(s) or work(s) in (2) above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law. State that the information in this notification is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you either own the copyright (or an exclusive right under the copyright) in the material(s) or work(s) that you claim in (2) above are being infringed, or are authorized by such owner to act on its behalf.

Send your notice to our designated contact, the SASH Helpline Administrator, at info@rainn.org

Trademarks

RAINN, Rape, Abuse &Incest National Network® and other marks displayed on this site are trademarks of RAINN. All other trademarks displayed on this site not owned by RAINN are the property of their respective owners, who may or may not be affiliated with RAINN. You may not use these trademarks for any product or service that does not belong to RAINN, or in any manner likely to cause confusion about whether we are affiliated with any product or service.

Limitations of Liability

RAINN, NOAA, and affiliates will not be liable for any damages or injury, including, but not limited to, special or consequential damages that result from the use of (or the inability to use) the NOAA SASH Helpline and its contents, or a site linked to this site, including any damages or injury caused by any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, defect, delay in operation, computer/device virus, line failure, or other computer/device malfunction.

By using the SASH Helpline, you acknowledge and understand that SASH Helpline sessions are conducted by support specialists (including trained volunteers), who may not be licensed in your state or trained in your state's law. You further acknowledge and understand that any trained volunteers are not employees or agents of RAINN or NOAA, and that RAINN and NOAA assume no responsibility for any act or omission by a trained volunteer.

Linked Sites

This site may link to or be linked from other sites that are not maintained by RAINN. RAINN does not endorse, and is not responsible for the content of, any of those sites.

Submissions

All remarks, suggestions, ideas, graphics, or other information communicated to RAINN through the SASH Helpline ("Submissions") will forever be the property and intellectual property of RAINN. Unless RAINN expressly states to the contrary, RAINN will not be required to treat any submission as confidential. Further, RAINN will be entitled to use any Submission for any purpose whatsoever, commercial or otherwise, without compensation to you or anyone else.

Disclaimer

The material in this site may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. We may shut down the rainn.org website and end this Website User Agreement at any time. However, in the event of such a termination, the Limitations of Liability, Disclaimer, and Governing Law sections would continue to apply.

THIS SITE IS PROVIDED BY RAINN ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS. RAINN MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE OPERATION OF THIS SITE OR THE INFORMATION INCLUDED ON THIS SITE. YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THIS SITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. RAINN DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE INFORMATION IN THIS SITE IS ACCURATE, RELIABLE, OR CORRECT, THAT THIS SITE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME OR LOCATION, OR THAT THE SITE IS FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

INFORMATION AND ADVICE PROVIDED THROUGH THE SASH Helpline IS NOT INTENDED AND SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING. ONLINE SESSIONS MAY BE CONDUCTED BY STAFFERS (INCLUDING VOLUNTEERS) WHO ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS AND MAY NOT BE AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES IN CERTAIN STATES. ONLINE SESSIONS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON RAINN.ORG AND THE SASH Helpline IS NOT INTENDED OR IMPLIED TO CONSTITUTE MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT. IN ADDITION, NOTHING ON THIS SITE IS INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE.

If you need professional services or counseling, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 to discuss how to locate a legally-certified professional.

Revisions or Changes to this Website User Agreement

We may, from time to time, make changes to this Website User Agreement. If we make any substantial changes in the way we use your personal information, or to the rights and obligations set forth herein, we will update this page and/or the Online Privacy Policy and post a prominent announcement on rainn.org.

International Use

RAINN makes no representation that materials on the rainn.org website and the SASH Helpline are appropriate or available for use in locations outside the United States. Access to this site from countries or territories where such access is illegal is prohibited. Those who choose to access this site outside the United States do so on their own initiative, and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

Governing Law

You agree that your use of this site, this Agreement and any disputes relating thereto shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the District of Columbia. Any dispute relating to this Agreement shall be resolved solely in the courts located in the District of Columbia. Thank you for visiting rainn.org. Please contact RAINN at 202-544-1034 , or info@rainn.org if you have any questions about our website or this Website User Agreement.