Prevention
PACT: Prepare. Awaken. Connect. Transform.
Preventing Harm, Empowering Change
PACT is Willamette University’s signature violence prevention initiative, led by the Gender Resource and Advocacy Center in collaboration with partners across the university. It’s more than a program—it’s a shared commitment and a pathway. Through intentionally designed experiences, PACT awakens students with new insights on sexual violence prevention and connects them to resources for learning and shared goals, so that they are prepared to lead efforts in harm prevention, supportive healing, and building a culture of consent and care.
Each stage meets students where they are and supports growth across multiple dimensions of violence prevention.
Together, we are making a pact to end sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking and to develop a strong culture of empathy, equity, and action.
Why PACT?
Preventing harm is everyone’s responsibility. Each of us can make meaningful and lasting change in creating communities that are free from sexual violence. PACT was designed to reflect what students need: not just information, but a way forward. This program gradually builds students’ knowledge and skills needed to:
- Prevent sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking
- Challenge harmful actions of others through appropriate tactics of bystander intervention
- Practice consent and care in everyday relationships
- Contribute to a community prioritizes the development of healthy relationships
The Four Stages of PACT
1. Prepare
Students begin with small but meaningful moments—like an orientation session, a resource fair, or a social media post. This stage introduces key concepts, invites reflection, and sparks curiosity about lived-experience, well-being, and community responsibility.
2. Awaken
In this deeper stage, students begin connecting their lived experiences to larger systems. Through storytelling, zines, podcasts, and creative workshops, they gain insight, empathy, and a clearer understanding of the barriers to bystander intervention.
3. Connect
Students begin putting knowledge into practice. This includes peer-led training, dialogue groups, and skill-building around bystander intervention, consent, and peer support. The focus is on solidarity, trust, and community accountability.
4. Transform
Students step into leadership roles and drive change. Whether mentoring peers, co-creating prevention initiatives, or advocating for institutional reform, they help shift campus culture toward care, equity, and collective responsibility.
Who Is PACT For?
Everyone.
Whether you’re just beginning to explore these topics or already active in peer education or community action, there’s a place for you in PACT.
Students might engage through:
- Residence hall programs
- Student org collaborations
- Art, media, and storytelling projects
- Peer support and leadership opportunities
- Retreats, workshops, and community events
Faculty, staff, and campus partners are also essential to this work and are encouraged to get involved.
Make the PACT
Ending sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking requires more than awareness—it requires commitment. When we all participate in PACT, we are not just attending an event or completing a training. We are making a pact—to be part of a safer, more just, and more connected campus.
We believe that change happens through relationships, through conversation, and through the choices we make every day. This is how we begin.
Want to learn more or get involved?
Complete the PACT Interest Form to receive more information about the stages of PACT, upcoming prevention events, and the opportunity to meet with the GRAC Director about your interest in getting more involved. Let’s make a PACT— to prevent harm, empower change, and care for one another.