Nearly every minute, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted. SART, or the Sexual Assault Resource Team, is a club that provides training and resources through presentations to sophomore English classes and educates them about sexual assault and harassment.

For Audrey Lakhani ‘28, SART has allowed her to give a voice and representation for victims of sexual assault.

“I think students should join SART because you can build up a lot of presenting and leadership skills,” Lakhani said. “Not to mention how you give survivors and victims [of sexual assault] a voice and representation and awareness.”

Although the topic of sexual assault can be sensitive for some, it’s still very important to be discussed. According to Rainn, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 82% of all victims of sexual abuse are under 18 and female.

SART includes similar statistics in the presentation from other sites

“My most memorable moment [while] presenting was during the first training of this year, and I had to present to about 40 people along with two other people giving the presentation for the first time,” Lakhani said. “Only 15-20 people came from the county, but knowing that this year that number doubled made the most.”

Speaking up about sexual assault awareness is important, as an estimated 423,000 people aged 12+ report sexual violence each year in the U.S. while, 1 in 6 U.S. women have experienced completed or attempted rape.

“Understand that this is a very real issue that everyone struggles with, unfortunately, [and] it’s not just a women’s issue,” Lakhani said. “Try to speak up if you hear someone make a comment or a joke even if it’s commenting on someone’s looks.”

Numerous sexual assault resources are available to everybody, such as RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline, National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), as well as the Colorado Survivor Resources and the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault.