Victims of rape and sexual assault now have expanded opportunities on where they can go for treatment and collection of a rape kit thanks to SB 1191 that went into effect on Sept 1.

This bill requires all hospitals with an emergency room have staff trained in basic forensic evidence collection from sexual assault victims.

It is important to note that the standard set in SB 1191 is less rigorous then what is required for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners. There are currently two SANEs practicing in McLennan County and a total of 312 in the entire state.

An alumna hopes to bring awareness to sexual assault by telling her own story of being assaulted when she was a Baylor student. The event will be at 8 p.m. Thursday in the lobby of Brooks Flats.

This event, which is happening during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, will focus on the current attitudes toward rape and try to encourage students who may have experienced sexual assault to report it.

Texas has made a good start in terms of the statutes of limitations as it relates to sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and continuous sexual abuse of a young child. In Texas, these crimes are treated the same as murder.

Texas has a total of eight crimes that have no statutes of limitations: murder and manslaughter, sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault of a child, sexual assault if DNA is collected, continuous sexual abuse of a young child, indecency with a child, leaving the scene of an accident that results in the death of a person, trafficking of persons, and continuous trafficking of persons.

April is National Sexual Abuse Awareness month, and it provides an opportunity to highlight sexual violence as a preventable problem.

Almost everyone has talked to someone who has been a victim of sexual abuse or sexual assault, whether you knew it at the time or not.

Former Baylor student and Baylor football defensive end Tevin Elliott was indicted on three counts of sexual assault Monday by a McLennan County grand jury.

A Bill of Indictment was filed Monday stating that Elliott was indicted for two counts of sexual assault involving a single victim. Jason Darling, Elliott’s attorney, said Elliot was also indicted on a count of sexual assault involving a different victim in November 2009, but not arrested in connection with the incident. The indictment record relating to this incident is sealed to the public.

A 15-year-old girl recounted her painful story to police. She told them of a man who went by “Santana.” The man arranged for someone to lure her into his Florida residence, where he raped her, recorded images of her unclothed and forced her into a life of prostitution.

The Sexual Assault Work Team and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. held a presentation in Kayser Auditorium Wednesday night to warn students about abuse and sexual assault. Natashia Doolittle, a representative from the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children, spoke about the necessity of open discussion, citing the statistic that one in four women and one in 33 men will be sexually assaulted during their college years.

Suggested things to say when a woman is sexually assaulted: Is there anything I can do? I am so sorry this happened. I am with you.