Alma Lahmon An average of 234,000 Americans experience sexual assault each year, which means every 2 minutes, someone in the United States -- maybe even in Lampasas County -- is sexually assaulted.

The Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center in Marble Falls was established in 1982 to help battered women and their children along with survivors of sexual assault. It provides safety, respect, support and resources to allow victims to overcome their abuse and face a better future.

The center deals with an average of 300 new cases each year that involve the need for shelter and aid, and 600 non-residential cases that use individual or group counseling.

Available services include a 24- hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, crisis intervention, advocacy and accompaniment throughout medical and legal procedures, counseling, information and referral to other agencies, assistance in educational and training programs for employment, and public awareness presentations to community groups and schools.

“I hope to expand the prevention education programs in the upcoming year,” said Alma Lahmon, executive director of the crisis center for the past seven years. “It’s an eight-week curriculum about stopping violence in the next generation by teaching kids in the middle school and high school level about the different types of family violence and sexual abuse.”

The educational program has only one prevention educator, but the program has been well received at Lampasas Middle School and Lampasas High School, Ms. Lahmon said. She added that counselors and workers from the crisis center in Marble Falls come to Lampasas and work directly with area residents seeking aid as well.

“On any given day, we have about 15 volunteers working at the center, however we are always looking for more volunteers in our thrift store and answering the phones in our hotline,” Ms. Lahmon said. “Oftentimes we also need help with our childcare services.”

Volunteer opportunities are available at the crisis center for babysitting, working in special children’s programs, handling donation pick-ups, fund-raising, working on pantry duty, speaking at events or tending fair booths, running errands, or tutoring adults and/or children. Those interested may contact the volunteer coordinator at (830) 693-3656.

During the year, Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center holds two fund-raisers: the Art and Wine Auction in the spring, and the annual fall golf tournament, scheduled this year on Oct. 30 at Delaware Springs in Burnet.

The center stays busy helping residents in Llano, Blanco, Johnson City, Marble Falls, Burnet and Lampasas feel safe by providing confidential, free assistance to victims of family violence and sexual assault.

Anyone in need of assistance can contact the Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center hotline at (800) 664-3574, or online at www.hlfcc.org.

The National Sexual Assault Hotline is also available at (800) 656-HOPE.