Angela Rose

At the age of seventeen, in response to her abduction and sexual assault, Angela Rose turned a suburban community into a group of proactive citizens. Working with others attacked by her perpetrator, Angela spearheaded the movement culminating with the passage of the 1998 Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act in Illinois which enables the State to hold a sexually violent person in custody under psychiatric care, if the person has been convicted of a previous sexually violent offense and exhibits a mental disorder. Nearly 200 convicted sex offenders have been committed as Sexually Violent Persons in Illinois since 1998.

While a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Angela began to intimately understand how silence cloaks the prevalence of sexual assault. Instead of retreating in the face of adversity, Angela rose to the challenge to voice what is often left unsaid. In 2000 she was appointed Campus Safety Coordinator by the UW Associated Students of Madison. Empowered by her experiences on campus, Angela founded PAVE (Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment) in 2001, a community-based organization that uses social, educational, and legislative tactics to shatter the silence of sexual violence. That same year, Angela was appointed the UW Women’s Issues Diversity Liaison, where she successfully initiated a dialogue on sexual assault within diverse cultural communities.

Through PAVE, Angela has trained fraternities and sororities in sexual assault prevention, produced a documentary entitled “Transition to Survivor,” and founded Men Opposing Sexual Assault, a student group that highlights the importance of men in the anti-sexual assault movement.

Now a national non-profit with chapters in multiple states, PAVE is committed to ending sexual violence through education and empowerment. Angela continues to serve as the organization’s Executive Director.

The tremendous impact and growth of PAVE has catapulted Angela into the national arena. Angela’s work has been recognized by numerous media outlets, including CNN, TODAY SHOW, TIME, The Montel Williams Show, The John Walsh Show, CosmoGirl, Girl’s Life magazine, and newspapers across the country.

Angela’s passion and energy are coupled with her dedication to shattering the silence of sexual assault. Audiences across the country have benefited from her experiences and her ability to turn her tragedy into triumph.