It's been almost a year since a series of sexual assaults happened around the University of Nevada campus. While no one wants to re-live the past, student leaders want to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Odds are, anyone returning to school this semester is all too familiar with on-campus safety and what it takes to defend themselves. But for the thousands of freshman and transfer students, this is all brand new.

"I figure that it should be a great reminder for older students," said Caitlin Gunn, a UNR Sophomore who helped organize the event. "But definitely a new lesson for the newer ones because 18-year-olds think they're bullet proof and guess what, you're not."

Organizers of the "Guarded by the Pack" rally want freshman and transfer students to understand just how important it is to be aware of their surroundings near UNR.

"I think it's a fresh crowd," said Lauren Denison, the spokeswoman for "Bring Bri Justice." "And just more of a reminder to stay diligent in your safety and that it can happen to anyone."

Lauren Denison knows firsthand. In January, a serial rapist - who's still at large - kidnapped her niece a block away from campus. That incident and Briana Denison's murder led to a number of UNR-sponsored safety seminars, but one student says those have since tapered off.

"I do feel like this has gotten kind of buried maybe since summer," said UNR senior Carina Villegas. "I think that this event will hopefully heighten some of the awareness so that it's an issue that won't be buried."

Organizers set up games and information booths to make the issue more appealing to students, while campus police and defense groups talked about how to protect against an attack. It's basic stuff for many UNR students, but as far as organizers are concerned it's something the newer kids can't hear enough.

"Students here are becoming more relaxed," said Gunn. "They're saying 'there haven't been any events in so long. Nothing is going to happen to me.' But then there are these students coming from Alaska and Hawaii and New York City and they think Nevada is safe, but it's not."

Three UNR students have been sexually assaulted since February and police say all three were incidents in which the victim was familiar with their attacker.