Baylor's survivors of sexual assault are the bravest, strongest women imaginable.

Rape is so much more than physical trauma. Your body is the crime scene from which you can't escape. Trust in people, especially people you know, dissolves.

For survivors, getting through each day can be burden -- and victory -- enough. That's why it's so remarkable that dozens, perhaps scores, of Baylor women have persevered beyond the trauma to try to protect their peers. For their uncommon impact, the Baylor sexual assault survivors are worthy finalists for 2016 Texan of the Year.

At Baylor, as at other universities nationwide, sexual violence is a longstanding, mostly hidden, phenomenon. The truth began to crack open in August 2015, when football star Sam Ukwuachu, a former All-American and transfer from Boise State, was convicted of a 2013 sexual assault.

Just as disturbing as his crime was the university's lackadaisical response to the victim's plight. Although the board of regents called for a comprehensive review of the school's handling of sexual violence reports, other survivors grew frustrated. And they acted.

Multiple women talked to ESPN about violence involving former football player Tevin Elliott, who is serving 20 years in prison for sexual assault. Those survivors provided new details about Baylor's failure to handle their cases appropriately.

One of them, Jasmin Hernandez, filed a Title IX lawsuit against the school and began speaking publicly -- and graphically -- about her case. Dozens more women followed with similar suits.