Last year, Cassandra Hernandez, a young airman with the United States Air Force, attended a party on base.

But in the wee hours of the morning, she had to be transported to a hospital after she and others say she was sexually assaulted by three fellow service members.

Cassandra's parents, who live in here in Houston, are angry about what happened. And they are very supportive of their daughter.

They are with her in this different kind of fight.

“It was very upsetting,” said her dad Jesse Hernandez. “They didn’t have any idea of what kind of support she had.”

From Pope Air Force base in North Carolina, Cassandra talked by phone to 11 News. She was accompanied by Captain Omar Ashmawy, who represents her.

“I take it a day at a time. It is so hard. I never expected this to happen to me. I guess u can say when things get worse you can give up,” she said in the exclusive interview.

Sexual assaults in the military are on the rise said Christine Hansen, the Executive Director of the Miles Foundation, a non-profit group that helps rape victims.

“The prevalence of sexual assaults in the military is quite extensive at this point in time,” said Hansen. “In fact there has been an increase of assaults in the military in some cases increases of 25-to-40-percent from one year to another year.”

Because of shame and guilt, many go un-reported

“In the United States armed forces, it's compounded by the significant fear, real or imagined, in many cases of impact to your career,” said Hansen. “And potentially you’re facing some sort of disciplinary action for other behaviors that may relate to the sexual assault.”

Which is what Hernandez says happened to her.

After she decided not to testify against the three suspects because of severe stress, the Air Force decided to file charges against her.

Charges of engaging in indecent acts.

 “My heart dropped. I felt betrayed,” said Hernandez. “I trusted them, and it hurt me.”

If she is convicted in September - she will have to register as a sex offender. But she told us she' not done with this fight.