All seven counties in the Brazos Valley now have a sexual assault resource team (SART).
State legislation required each county in the state to establish a team by December 1st.
The presiding officer for each team in the Brazos Valley is the Sexual Assault Resource Center’s executive director, Linsey LeBlanc.
“It really makes the most sense for us that facilitator and the one that brings the group together to collaborate,” says LeBlanc.
SART members include mental health providers, hospital systems, the district attorney’s office and law enforcement officers.
“That collaboration really ensures the best care for survivors. If those groups are not communicating, you’re going to have gaps, you’re going to have survivors that fall through the cracks,” says LeBlanc.
LeBlanc says they are working to end sexual violence, but with the implementation of SART teams in each county, they want to see sexual assault cases increase.
“We know that two out of three cases go unreported. If we have more survivors that are able and willing to come forward because that team is collaborating and providing best practices to survivors in those counties, then we are doing a good job,” says LeBlanc.
SART meeting frequency depends on the size of the county and the amount of cases they handle. The Brazos County SART team meets monthly.
Listen to “Brazos Valley counties establish sexual assault resource teams” on Spreaker.