Helping to support survivors and end sexual violence.

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Our Mission

We are a movement creating a world free from sexual violence and building communities to support survivors.

Our Vision

We envision a world free of sexual violence where where all survivors are supported as they heal from trauma.

About PAVE

PAVE is a national nonprofit that works both to prevent sexual assault and heal survivors through social advocacy, prevention education, and survivor support.

PAVE was founded in February 2001 by Angela Rose as a student organization at the University of WI-Madison in response to her own experience of being kidnapped from a shopping mall and sexually assaulted at the age of seventeen. It has since grown into a multi-national 501c3 nonprofit organization.
PAVE has trained more than 100,000 college students and 10,000 professionals and maintains chapters and affiliates across the country, and even some internationally.
PAVE’s work has been featured on many national media outlets including CNN, Today Show, Oprah Winfrey Network and a special edition of 48 Hours on CBS.

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Meet the Team

Angela Rose (she/her)

Founder and Executive Director
Susan Rhoades (she/her)

CEO
Elle de los Reyes (she/her)

Director of Content Development
Ashley Badgley (she/her)

Director of Survivor Support
Rachel Gloer (she/her)

Junior Software Developer
Kim Chism (she/her)

Coordinator of Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist

Our Fundamental Beliefs

- We do not base our support of survivors on whether or not they have filed a police report or obtained a guilty verdict
  - The legal system is flawed and most perpetrators are not found guilty by a court of law
  - 975 of every 1000 sexual violence perpetrators will not see jail or prison time.
  - To ignore survivors who have not received legal justice overlooks the vast majority of sexual violence survivors
- We do not accuse anyone who comes forward of falsifying their story, no matter what the public opinion is online
  - Changes in details and lapses memory are normal after sexual violence. This does not mean the survivor is making up what happened.
  - All people, regardless of gender or other identity, can experience sexual violence.
- We use gender neutral language unless we are addressing an individual or group of individuals where gender is relevant to the discussion
- We do not pressure or guilt anyone into reporting.
- We do not force survivors into care and avoid doing so at all costs.
- We encourage survivors to seek out whatever physical or mental healthcare support they need, while acknowledging that there are systemic barriers to care.
- Survivors have had their control taken from them, they deserve to have control.
- Some perpetrators have a history of sexual violence against them
- While their experiences are valid, in order to keep other, non-perpetrating survivors safe, this is not the space for them
- Trauma is not compared or labeled as “worse” or “better”
- Individuals have their own “Big T” and “Little T” trauma’s, but no one else gets to rank your own trauma

- We are careful when we discuss “safety tips”, because that language can put the burden on survivors rather than the perpetrators
- We try to avoid using the passive voice
  - Ex: “He assaulted him” rather than “He was assaulted”
- A survivor is not responsible for stopping their perpetrator
  - They are not guilty for not reporting the assault
- PAVE is dedicated to anti-racism: we have an active stance of calling out racism and promoting racial equity
- Discrimination against people based on their racial identity or ethnicity is a form of sexualized violence
- We have a zero tolerance policy regarding any form of racial or ethnic discrimination from community members and organizations we partner with
- We have a zero tolerance policy regarding transphobia, homophobia, or any other form of discrimination from community members and organizations we partner with
- DEIA is more than just an acronym, but a guiding principle for PAVE.
- DEIA means constant learning, constant growing, and constant progress. PAVE is dedicated to the constant work required when it comes to creating and fostering an equitable workplace.
- Deciding what happens to our own body is a fundamental pillar of consent
- Everyone, whether or not they have been sexually assaulted, deserves to have control over their body and decide what does or does not happen to it

Founder’s Story

Angela’s innovative work on the issue of sexual violence has made her a highly-respected, engaging speaker and expert on sexual assault and violence prevention. She is also widely recognized as an advocate for survivor empowerment. At the age of 17, Angela was abducted at knifepoint outside a suburban Chicago shopping mall. She was assaulted by a repeat sex-offender on parole for murder. After suffering at the hands of her abductor she then suffered at the hands of authorities who – instead of helping her – subjected her to scrutiny, blame, and additional victimization. The anguish of her abduction was immediately magnified by anger and a strong sense of injustice at her treatment by authorities. Angela turned her anger into a positive force for change and worked with her attacker’s previous victims and other concerned community members to help enact Illinois’ Sexually Dangerous Persons Commitment Act in 1998.

In 2001 Angela founded the non-profit organization, Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment (PAVE), to create education and action surrounding the issues of sexual violence. Today PAVE has chapters in multiple states, trains fraternities and sororities on sexual assault prevention and convened the National Campus Sexual Assault Summit held at Georgetown Law that broadcasted live to over 300 colleges. Angela’s work on college campuses led to an invitation to the White House for the launch of the “It’s On Us” campaign and was asked to serve on the White House Taskforce to Protect Students from Sexual Assault chaired by Vice President Biden.

Angela’s passion of ending sexual violence through prevention education and empowerment has led to several projects and public speaking engagements including the documentary “Transition to Survivor”, founder of Men Opposing Sexual Assault, training for professional law enforcement groups, the American Psychological Association and several branches of the United States military. Angela presents annually at the International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma and personally works with rape survivors from Uganda, and was invited by the former First Lady of France Cecilia Attias to participate in the Women’s Global Dialogue for Action.

Angela’s efforts have been profiled by the Oprah Winfrey Network, Bio Channel, The Today Show, TIME Magazine, CosmoGirl, Girl’s Life magazine, and CNN Headline News profiled her on their “Breakthrough Women” series. Rose authored the book Hope, Healing and Happiness: Going Inward to Transform Your Life. She has been awarded accolades for her work including “Forward Under 40” by her alma mater University of Wisconsin-Madison, “The Inspiration Award” from Today’s Chicago Woman magazine, and the “Promise Award” from the YWCA.