Shonda Rhimes’ TV empire — which includes “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Scandal,” and a number of other beloved series — has been rightly celebrated for its inclusivity. Shondaland has a history of highlighting the work of women and people of color both behind the scenes and on-screen. And that’s just one of the important conversations Rhimes has helped push forward in Hollywood and beyond. A recent study concluded that an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” “contributed to heightened public awareness of sexual assault,” Deadline reports.

Published earlier this month in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, the study suggests that “Grey’s” ep “Silent All These Years,” which aired in March, “helped raise the profile of the group RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network). A key was the call-out by series star Ellen Pompeo at the end of the episode, encouraging victims to call the organization’s hotline,” the source notes.

The episode of the ABC medical drama saw a patient (Khalilah Joi) hesitant to report her sexual assault due to fear that she wouldn’t be believed.

Deadline details, “The OKU research found that searches for the terms ‘RAINN’ spiked by 41 percent and ‘rape’ by 8 percent following the episode’s airing. On Twitter, tweets with ‘sexual assault hotline’ and ‘RAINN’ increased by more than 1,000 percent. Beyond social media, calls to RAINN increased by 43 percent in the 48 hours after the episode, the organization claimed.”

“Silent All These Years” shares a title with a 1991 Tori Amos single. The singer served as RAINN’s first spokesperson. Debbie Allen directed the “Grey’s” episode and Elisabeth R. Finch wrote it.

“Grey’s Anatomy” is now in its 16th season.