NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Every 68 seconds, an American is a victim of sexual assault, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.
Hundreds of students on the Peninsula gathered to help survivors.
Volunteers with the group "Fear 2 Freedom" were at Christopher Newport University's Freeman Center, packing hundreds of after-care kits to help sexual assault survivors in their recovery.
The kits are for children and adults, and they include a full set of replacement clothes and a teddy bear.
The teddy bear holds a special paper with a unique handwritten message, telling the victim to remember that what happened wasn't their fault.
"It's not necessarily something that people will report. It's not something really talk about," said Faith Tanous, the president of CNU's Where Is the Line. "But with events like this, it makes it something that you can talk about and find support for."
This project is in partnership with Riverside, which helps fund the items for the bags.
"It was such a joy for me to be able to find a way to help those that have suffered from sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, sex trafficking," said Rosemary Trible, the founder of Fear 2 Freedom. "I could not be more proud. We have 300, 400 students from CNU that came tonight to make a difference in the lives of those abused."
Photojournalist Justin Fleenor contributed to this story.
