KILLEEN, Texas — April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

According to national statistics, hundreds of Americans are affected by sexual violence each day. 

Taking an active approach to fighting sexual violence is a big deal for the A&M-Central Texas community.

“I’m a single mom who is out in the dating scene,” Anna Kefauver explained.

Kefauver wants to be able to protect herself if she needs to. 

“I do go to the gym often, so I feel physically strong but I just wanted to get some tactics,” Kefauver said.

Research from UT Austin found more than 6 million adults in Texas have experienced some form of sexual assault in their lifetime.

That is why Kefauver signed up for a specially designed self-defense class at A&M-Central Texas in Killeen. 

“I’ve heard stories and I just don’t want to be a different story,” Kefauver said.

The active training teaches participants pressure points and how to break a variety of holds. 

Social work student and Warriors Against Sexual Assault President Pamela Nunes also participated in the program. 

“We do live in a military town where drinking percentages are higher,” Nunes said. “There are a lot of other things in this area that make us a higher risk for sexual assault as, as campus students, so I felt like it was a very important issue that needed to be addressed on our campus in particular.”

Title IX Coordinator, Jacqueline Orellana, partnered with the university’s police department to make the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program (SHARP) Training happen.

“Texas ranks number 15 as one of the most dangerous states for rape and sexual assault,” Orellana said. “...and we want to make sure that everyone in our campus community has those resources so that when they leave us as a university that they take that with them into the community.”

Bringing comfort to people like Kefauver.

“[I] have some self defense moves, know how to defend myself if someone is trying to attack me,” Kefauver explained.