Tennessee Tech University is a safe campus where we all work together to ensure a caring environment. But unfortunately, sexual assault does occur on all college campuses. National statistics estimate that 26.4% of female and 6.8% of male students experience sexual assault (RAINN, 2022). 

ASPIRES is a federally funded grant program at Tech. We address sexual assault on Tech’s campus by providing free forensic exams (commonly called ‘rape kits’) by specially trained and trauma-informed registered nurses (SANES) and empathetic, compassionate support from trained victim advocates. Tech currently provides the only trained SANES in the Upper Cumberland region. A SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) provides culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, and patient-specific evaluation and treatment to individuals who have experienced unwanted sexual contact. SANEs may also testify in a criminal or civil trial as an expert witness. ASPIRES Sexual Assault Advocates are available to provide compassionate and trauma-informed emotional support, and to empower and represent the rights of survivors of sexual assault in a strengths-based survivor-focused manner.