Portlander Brenda Tracy, a survivor of sexual assault, told her powerful story on Wednesday evening to an attentive audience filled with Portland State student-athletes at the Smith Memorial Center Ballroom on campus.

Some 400 people attended, with over 200 being members of the Viking athletic program. Viking football player Josh Kraght was a co-MC of the event.

Tracy told the story of being gang-raped by four men in 1998, two of whom were Division I college football players. It was gut-wrenching account, but also an important message, as a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Now a registered nurse, Tracy has been giving her impactful message around the country, at various universities and to many college athletes. Her efforts are to create awareness while encouraging involvement and prevention.

Tracy has previously spoken at 25 universities, including schools like Oklahoma, Oregon State, Auburn, Nebraska and Baylor, among others.

Tracy's story originally came to light in 2014, when Oregonian sports columnist John Canzano published a series of articles detailing the 1998 rape.

Tracy's message also included some solutions, specifically encouraging involvement by everyone to intervene when they see or hear something. She noted that men, particularly those involved in athletics on a big stage, can make a huge difference by advocating for sexual assault awareness and helping shift the culture. She challenged all to "be leaders and change the culture of violence against women."

Tracy has dedicated her life to this cause, becoming a lobbyist for sexual assault awareness and has also been named to the NCAA's Committee To Combat Campus Sexual Violence.

More recently, Tracy has created a "Set The Expectation" campaign. It includes a student-athlete pledge that coaches, teams and schools can use to create awareness, commitment and involvement to the cause.

Portland State Athletics co-sponsored the "Evening With Brenda Tracy" event as part of Sexual Assault Awareness month on campus. It was also part of PSU's commitment to the continuing education and development of student-athletes.

For more on Brenda Tracy - www.brendatracy.com
For more on Sexual Assault Awareness Month on the PSU campus - https://www.pdx.edu/insidepsu/end-sexual-violence