Who They Are

Those who make specific resources available for rape survivors are valuable allies. But they aren't the only ones.

Politicians have played important roles in changing ineffective or incomplete sex crime laws and politicians have fought to fund programs which make sex crime laws work effectively. When well-intentioned laws go wrong, some politicians step up to right that wrong even if doing so won't aid in their reelection campaigns.

Many in the judiciary are important allies who are often overshadowed by judges who make victim-blaming rulings or statements.

Many in law enforcement and prosecution are allies to all victims of rape -- even those many don't consider to be "real" victims -- and have gone above and beyond their basic job description when they could have gotten by with doing the job the way those before them did it. They listened to victims frustrations and worked to improve the system while keeping everyone's legal rights in mind. 

Many in the medical field are allies including SANE-SART nurses who are specially trained to do forensic exams. An increasing number of doctors see rape as a public health issue.

Rape survivors have taken actions which didn't benefit themselves but which helped reduce the risk to others. This could be reporting to law enforcement and facing hostile backlash from a rapist's friends and defense counsel or it could be disclosing the reality of rape to counter dangerous stereotypes.

All sorts of people make themselves allies to all rape victims and survivors. They can do this through a series of little actions such as not laughing when someone jokes about wanting to rape some attractive celebrity or by listening without judgment when someone discloses their rape.

Who They Aren't

All those who blame rape victims for bad judgment rather than blaming rapists for illegal behavior.

Non allies can pop up anywhere including in a rape victim's family. Some are genuinely ignorant, but others find excuses for the majority of rapes and the majority of rapists.

Some people are a mix of allies and foes based on their blind spots, areas of incompetence and selective bigotry. A person may be an ally to all child rape victims while being hostile to all adult victims who weren't raped by a stranger.