By Nazkhatoon Riahi The Western Front From a small cubicle on the fifth floor of Old Main, Sarah Rankin, coordinator for Crime and Sexual Assault Services (CASAS), is touching the lives of numerous women in the Western community. ?The word is getting out,? Rankin, 30, said in a confident voice. The word getting out is ?CASAS,? a Prevention and Wellness program partially funded by the Department of Justice through the Ending Violence Against Women grant, which Western recently received. As the coordinator of CASAS, Rankin helps victims of sexual assault tell their stories and get help from campus resources. Rankin works for the victims by telling their stories to the police and others involved so the victim doesn?t have to repeat the story. Rankin explained that she ?fell? into the position of working with sexual assault victims and prevention when she began volunteering for the Whatcom Crisis Services eight years ago. Her volunteer position on a crisis line eventually led her to working with a rape relief program. She said her career began there. ?Once I learned about the issue (of sexual assault) I wanted to work to end the stereotypes, blaming of victims and lack of help,? Rankin said. Working with and learning about sexual assault brought Rankin to the realization that many people in her own life had been affected by sexual assault. Rankin explained that once she was exposed to the issue of sexual assault, she saw it everywhere. ?You?re never quite the same again,? she said. ?It changes the way you see the world. It?s made me in awe of human resilience and given me more respect for what humans, specifically women, can overcome.? ?The inability of our legal system to address the issue of violence against women infuriated me,? Rankin said. ?I could either complain about it or get in the system and change something. just being within the system gives me the opportunity to advocate on another level.? Program director for Prevention and Wellness Services Patricia Fabiano hired Rankin for her current position this summer. ?Sarah?s a wonderful person who is filling a very needed role at Western,? Fabiano said. ?She has made a lot of very important connections.? Today, Rankin represents Western on several state and local committees, including Washington Coalition for Sexual Assault Programs, Washington State Sexual Assault Services Advisory and Whatcom County Sexual Assault Committee. She also works as coordinator of Women?s Empowerment and Violence Education (WEAVE), a Lifestyle Advisor program for education about and prevention of sexual assault. The little free time Rankin has is spent with her 1 1/2 year-old daughter, Maddie, who she said is one of her greatest inspirations. ?The women in my life have always had a great influence on me,? Rankin said. ?Growing up, my mother influenced me most and the thing that influences me now and keeps me going is watching my daughter and wanting better things for her. ?There is a misconception that women are the weaker sex, but they have gone through so much that a weak person cannot go through,? Rankin said.