Brave Step

04/14/2026

💙 Still Time to Join the Learning Journey

Change doesn’t happen all at once.
It happens when people choose to learn, listen and lean into conversations that matter.

Our 3-part webinar series is already bringing together community members committed to prevention and there’s still time to join us.

Each session offers practical insight, thoughtful discussion and a chance to deepen your understanding of how education helps prevent sexual violence.

Whether you missed the first session or are planning to attend the next, you are welcome here.

💙 Join us for the upcoming sessions on the 17th and 24th or register now to be part of this growing community of courageous changemakers.

📅 Don’t miss the next opportunity to learn and take action.

🔗 Register today using the link BraveStep.orgor QR code.

04/13/2026

💙 Education Is Prevention

Did you know? Survivors of sexual violence are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts than the general population.

This connection is why awareness and action matters.

Many people who struggle with suicidal thoughts never say the words out loud. But there are often signs, and when we know what to look for, we can help create pathways to support and safety.

That’s why Brave Step is committed to building a community where no one suffers in silence and where we look out for one another.

💙 Join us May 14 for QPR Su***de Prevention Training

We’ve teamed up with Ericka Ellis-Stewart to offer QPR — Question, Persuade, Refer, a two-hour virtual training designed to help everyday people:

• Recognize warning signs of su***de
• Respond with care and confidence
• Connect someone to the help they need

No experience needed, just a willingness to show up for the people around you.

Because one conversation can save a life.

📅 May 14 | Virtual Training
🔗 Register today and help build a community of care. https://bravestep.org/qpr-su***de-prevention-training/

***dePrevention

04/12/2026

Brave Step was honored to join WBTV News to highlight Color It Blue and the importance of prevention and supporting survivors during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. 💙

Every voice, every action, every moment of awareness helps build a safer, more compassionate community.

Watch the interview and join us in coloring our community blue this April.
🔗 https://www.wbtv.com/video/2026/04/10/color-it-blue-sexual-assault-awareness/

Annual campaign starts Thursday, April 9, to support survivors.

04/11/2026

💙 One Brave Thing

Not every brave step is loud.
Sometimes, it looks like simply showing up.

One Brave Thing you can do today: Make a plan to walk, wherever you are.

Join our Virtual Walk/Run or gather with us for our in-person casual walk/run on April 25, a relaxed, welcoming opportunity to move together in support of survivors.

You don’t have to be a runner.
You don’t have to be fast.
You just have to care.

Every step helps raise awareness, support recovery and strengthen prevention efforts in our community.

👟 Walk on your own.
👟 Walk with friends.
👟 Or walk with us on April 25.

Because courage can look like movement, one step at a time. 💙

🔗 Register today and take your next brave step. https://raceroster.com/events/2026/112525/2026-brave-step-virtual-walkrun

04/10/2026

💙 National Sibling Day: A Gentle Reminder About Safety at Home

National Sibling Day is often a time to celebrate connection, laughter and lifelong bonds.

It’s also an opportunity to remember that safety conversations belong inside families, too.

Sibling sexual abuse is one of the most under-recognized forms of abuse — often misunderstood as curiosity, rivalry or typical sibling behavior. But when boundaries are crossed or power is misused, harm can occur, even within the family.

Prevention starts with awareness.

Ways to support safety and prevention at home:
• Teach children the correct names for body parts
• Talk openly about body boundaries and consent
• Make it clear that secrets about touching are never okay
• Set clear expectations about privacy and personal space
• Encourage children to speak up if something feels confusing or uncomfortable

These conversations may feel difficult, but they are powerful acts of protection.

Because prevention begins with honest conversations, even within the families we love most.

04/07/2026

Education Is Prevention: Responding to Triggers

Once we understand what triggers are, the next step is knowing how to respond with care.

You don’t need perfect words.
You don’t need to fix the moment.

Often, the most powerful response is staying calm, present and respectful of boundaries.

Whether supporting yourself or someone else, small actions — patience, listening and compassion — can make a meaningful difference.

Because understanding leads to compassion…
and compassion supports growth. 💙

04/07/2026

🎙️ The Conversation Continues

Thank you to WFAE Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins for hosting an important conversation about sexual violence, responsible dialogue and the role our community plays in prevention and support.

If you missed the live broadcast or want to listen again the recording is now available.

🎧 Take a moment to listen, reflect and learn how conversations like these help strengthen awareness and support survivors. https://www.wfae.org/show/charlotte-talks-with-mike-collins/2026-04-05/responsibly-covering-and-discussing-sexual-violence

After listening, here are three ways you can take action:

💙 Listen, believe, support survivors
When someone shares their story, believing them is one of the most powerful acts of support.

💙 Become an ally
Step into the space to bravely support survivors and help create safer, more compassionate communities.

💙 Give to support recoveryand prevention
Your donation helps make survivor services and prevention education possible. www.BraveStep.org/donate

Because awareness leads to action and action leads to change.

After years of lurking in the shadows, sexual predators now make the headlines. From abuse in the Catholic Church to the Me Too movement to the Epstein Files, the public and the media now push for answers and accountability. But what about survivors? How are they experiencing this moment? We hear fr...

04/06/2026

Education Is Prevention: Understanding Triggers

Have you ever noticed someone suddenly become overwhelmed, withdrawn or reactive and wondered why?

For many survivors, triggers can bring up strong emotional or physical reactions that may not make sense to others in the moment. But these responses are not weakness ; they are the brain’s way of trying to protect.

Understanding what triggers are and how they show up helps us respond with greater empathy, patience and care.

👉 Tomorrow, we’ll share how to respond when triggers happen, whether for yourself or someone you care about.

04/05/2026

🎙️ Tune In Tomorrow

We invite you to join an important community conversation.

On Monday, April 6, from 9–10 a.m., Brave Step will be part of a panel discussion on Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins on WFAE 90.7.

This conversation will focus on sexual violence, how communities respond and the role we all play in supporting prevention and recovery.

💙 We hope you’ll tune in, listen and be part of the dialogue.

04/04/2026

💙 Why We Color It Blue

We Color It Blue for conversation.
We Color It Blue for community.
We Color It Blue for prevention.

Every blue shirt worn, every sign displayed, every conversation started — it all helps create safer, more informed communities.

Last year, supporters Colored It Blue in ways big and small — at work, at home, with friends and across our community. Some hosted conversations. Others shared resources. Many simply showed up and wore blue.

Participation doesn’t have to be complicated to make a difference.

💙 This video shares just a few of the ways our community Colored It Blue last year and reminds us that anyone can be part of this movement.

One simple action can spark awareness.
One conversation can support prevention.

What’s one way you will Color It Blue this year?

04/03/2026

💙 One Brave Thing

Courage doesn’t always look like standing alone.
Sometimes, it looks like choosing to walk alongside others.

One Brave Thing our partners have done:
They chose to walk with us.

They chose to support survivors.
They chose to invest in prevention.
They chose to stand with a community working toward recovery and hope.

Because of their partnership, education reaches more people.
Support reaches more survivors.
Prevention becomes possible.

This week, as we kick off Color It Blue, we’re grateful for the businesses and organizations who didn’t just show up, they stepped forward.

💙 Thank you to our Color It Blue partners - .etc.ga, , , , , and Amelie's French Bakery - for choosing to walk with us.

04/01/2026

💙 We kicked off Color It Blue month in the most meaningful way.

Thank you to the incredible volunteers from Bank of America who joined us to make bracelets and write heartfelt notes of encouragement for survivors. Each bracelet and message is a reminder that survivors are not alone—that a community stands with them, believes them, and supports them.

As we step into April, we invite you to join us. Wear blue. Start conversations. Take action.

Together, we can Color It Blue. 💙