Bryce Butler’s mission began last October.

“One of my best friends was raped,” he said. “It was at a party.”

Butler, sophomore in economics, went to ask some questions about acquaintance rape at the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center and talked with the director of the Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support [ACCESS].

The conversation prompted his idea for the 33 percent Club, an idea which has grown as three of Butler’s other friends have been victimized. Butler said the name of the club represents the number of women who will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

Kurt Beyer, club treasurer, said 33 percent is an advocacy group for sexual assault, abuse and rape.

The club will also educate men about sex crimes, with programs geared for middle schools and high schools, said Capt. Dan Runyon, ROTC adjunct instructor and faculty adviser.

He said the group wants to start educating elementary- and middle-school-aged boys about the seriousness of rape at a young age.

Runyon, a former state police officer, said there are too many unreported cases of rape, and he hopes the club will help prevent more cases from happening.

“What I see them going for is they’re just going to promote awareness of sexual abuse and assault cases,” he said. “They just want to be another voice.”

Butler said the 33 percent Club will also work closely with the Sloss House Women’s Center, the Story County Sexual Assault Response Team and ACCESS.

“We can work to help each other out,” said Beyer, freshman in agricultural systems technology.

Members of the club will have a training program in March to learn how to talk to and help victims of sexual assault, he said.

“ACCESS has agreed to send in counselors to help with training,” Butler said. “We want to be another resource, a relay point.”

Caleb Davis, senior in management and club member, said the group has been working on fund raising to donate money to charities for women. Some of the fund-raising events will include a road race, car wash and working as “carnies at Adventureland,” he said.

The club is planning events to promote awareness of sexual assault for the Week Without Violence next October, Butler said. These events will include a mock rape trial, forums and panel discussions.

“This is brand new, and we’ve been throwing around ideas,” he said. “We’re totally open to suggestions.”

Regular meeting times have not been set up for the club yet, but Butler said the group presently has 42 members.

“We’ve got meetings coming up, and that’d be a great way to get people involved,” he said.

Runyon said men in the club have taken a step in the right direction for tackling a sensitive issue.

“It could be a thing people could be involved with and feel good about,” he said. “I’m proud to be their adviser, and I think it’s going to be a good organization.”