KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — While August is a busy month for college students headed back to campus, it is also an important time for sexual assault counselors.
University of Tennessee Title IX coordinator Laura Bryant said it can be a dangerous time for students.
"From the beginning of school through Thanksgiving, [that's] when students are more likely to experience sexual assault," Bryant said.
It is a topic the Department of Justice and several organizations study each year. However, experts believe it can be difficult to track because a lot of survivors are afraid to come forward.
Catherine Oaks works at the Helen Ross McNabb Center and said there are many things that go into why someone wouldn't want to share their story.
"Reporting can be scary cause you're not really sure what that process looks like," Oaks said.
National data shows this dilemma is common. The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network reports only 1 in 6 college-aged female survivors receive resources from victim services, and only 20% actually report to law enforcement.
"But there are resources out there, so we want to help survivors through that," Oaks said.
How to help survivors is a question Oaks hears a lot, and she believes a good place to start is giving them the space to share their story and stick with them through what happens next.
"The most helpful thing I can tell people is to start by believing," she said.
You can find resources from Helen Ross McNabb here or reach its 24/7 crisis hotline at (865) 522-7273.