Victoria Vredevoogd, a third-year law student at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, has transformed her experience as a sexual assault survivor into a mission to support others facing similar challenges. She founded the Gender Violence Project, which aims to provide legal resources for survivors, promote accountability, and educate the community about gender-based violence.
From Survivor to Advocate
At just 25 years old, Vredevoogd has already made significant strides in her advocacy work. After being crowned Miss Arizona 2026, she utilized her platform to raise awareness about gender violence and the legal challenges that survivors encounter. Her journey into law was prompted by a personal trauma; after experiencing an assault, she found that the justice system failed to pursue her case, leading her to decide to advocate for herself and others.
In her time at ASU, she has not only excelled in her studies but also established the Gender Violence Project, which is recognized as Arizona’s first student-led coalition addressing these issues. The initiative has garnered attention, contributing to the designation of May 29 as Arizona’s first Gender-Based Violence Awareness Day.
Community Engagement and Support
The Gender Violence Project focuses on three main areas: support, advocacy, and education. It connects survivors with legal resources and attorneys for free consultations, and it organizes events to educate the community about the legal process surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault. One of the upcoming events includes a panel discussion on October 28, featuring professionals working with domestic violence survivors.
Through partnerships, the project has successfully assisted individuals like a domestic violence survivor who received legal representation for a custody dispute, allowing her and her children to find safety. Vredevoogd emphasized the importance of providing survivors with a community and resources that she felt were missing during her own experience.
Future Aspirations
Vredevoogd plans to continue her advocacy as she pursues a career in law. After graduation, she aims to work as a litigator while remaining involved with the Gender Violence Project in a pro bono capacity. Her goal is to ensure that survivors have the support they need.
Through her efforts, Vredevoogd hopes to create lasting change in the legal landscape for survivors of gender-based violence, ensuring their voices are heard and their stories validated.
Source: Arizona State University
