The movement is demanding action to end sexual violence against children and adolescents

The Brave Movement is led by fifteen adult survivors of childhood sexual violence and their allies, coming together from every continent to demand action and USD billions to scale prevention, healing and justice

Leaders of the Movement say: “Progress is slow: more urgent action is needed, now!”

London, 3 March 2021 – The Brave Movement launches today – a global advocacy movement led by fifteen adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and allied organizations that aims to end all forms of sexual violence against children and adolescents.

The Brave Movement is taking collective action and seeking to achieve bold and transformational laws, programs and policies at both the local, national and regional level, and in global institutions within the multilateral system.

The Brave Movement is building an international advocacy movement of survivors and allies that will aim to mobilize billions for programs of prevention, healing and justice around the world; abolish Statutes of Limitation in every nation across the world; and develop a child-rights driven approach to online end-to-end encryption.

As a first step, the Brave Movement has mobilized survivor advocates and allies in advance of the G7 Summit in Germany in June 2022 with a call for a G7 survivors council, domestic resource mobilization in G7 nations and a $1bn commitment to scale prevention, healing and justice in low- and middle-income countries through a transformed End Violence Fund.

In addition, the movement has launched a Global Challenge to develop survivor-centered national calls to action leading up to a Global Survivors Action Summit on 27 April 2022 to endorse a global call to action to end childhoodsexual violence.

Catalyzed by Together for Girls with support from the Oak Foundation, The Movement launches at a pivotal moment as the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) look to make progress towards an equitable world.

THE SCALE AND SCOPE OF THE CHALLENGE

• From 2019 to 2020 there was a 100% increase in reports from the public of online sexual exploitation
• 1 in 5 women report having been sexually abused as a child, one in ten girls under the age of 20 have experienced sexual violence and every year 12 million girls are married before their 18th birthday
• 1 in 10 men report having been sexually abused as children
• Based on data from over 20 countries, anywhere from 8% to 24% of boys experience some form of sexual violence before the age of 18
• The global economic impacts and costs resulting from the consequences of physical, psychological and sexual violence against children and adolescents can be as high as $7 trillion

Dr Daniela Ligiero, survivor and a leader in the Brave Movement said: “Childhood sexual violence is a silent global scourge. Children are exposed to sexual violence in multiple forms: child sexual abuse, incest, child sexual exploitation, rape, child marriage, sexual violence in dating relationships, and sexual violence among peers. Child marriage affects millions of girls around the world, and sexual violence and abuse occurs in families, communities, schools, sports programs, places of worship, and online. Children and adolescents of every age, race, ethnicity, caste, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity are impacted. Progress is slow: more urgent action is needed, now!”

Dr Paul Zeitz, survivor and a leader in the Brave Movement explained why survivors and allies are crucial to the Movement: “Survivors of childhood sexual violence are pivotal to decision making for prevention, healing and justice, as our lived experience must inform all policy decisions. As survivor advocates and allies, we demand prevention to protect this and every generation to come; healing for survivors and their families; and justice for wrongdoers, the complicit, and the victimized. With the right resources, cohesive mobilization and political will, childhood sexual violence abuse can become a thing of the past.”

Rosalia Rivera, survivor and leader in the Brave Movement said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed children everywhere to an even greater risk of violence while reducing their ability to access any support. The Brave Movement will push for stronger political will, strengthen data and evidence, and better inform policy, strategy and investments across the world. We need to work with one another to shift attitudes, change behaviors, and influence corporations and governments.”

Tabitha Mpamira, survivor and leader in the Brave Movement said: “Breaking the silence is on all of us and should not be a burden placed solely on survivors. As allies, advocates, practitioners, parents, friends, community members, faith leaders, policymakers, decision-makers and researchers, we must all act with urgency, and strengthen our movement to do more for children.”

Join the Brave Movement:

https://www.bravemovement.org/

@bebraveglobal

The Brave Movement leadership includes SAGE: Survivor Advocates Globally Empowered and a Global Steering Group (GSG).

SAGE Members:

• Brisa De Ángulo, Bolivia
• Dr Daniela Ligiero, USA, Brazil
• ElsaMarie D’Silva, India
• Florence Keya, Kenya
• Janet Aguti, Uganda
• Dr Matthew McVarish, UK
• Miguel Hurtado, Spain
• Dr Paul Zeitz, USA
• Robert Shilling, USA
• Rosalia Rivera, El Salvador, Canada, SAGE Chair
• Professor S Caroline Taylor, AM, Australia, SAGE Vice-Chair
• Sarah Cooper, USA
• Suresh Chhetry, Nepal
• Tabitha Mpamira, Rwanda, Uganda, USA
• Wibke Muller, Germany

Global Steering Group (GSG) :

• The Army of Survivors
  • Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran, MSW
• End Violence Lab at the University of Edinburgh
  • Dr Catherine Maternowska
• Girls Not Brides
  • Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell
• Together for Girls
  • Daniela Ligiero, GSG Chair
  • Sandie Taylor, GSG Vice-Chair for Finance and Administration
• WeProtect Global Alliance
  • Iain Drennan, GSG Principal Vice-Chair
• World Vision International
  • Bill Forbes
• Global Survivors Advocacy Group (SAGE) representatives to the GSG
  • Rosalia Rivera
  • Professor S Caroline Taylor
  • Brisa De Angulo, Esq.
  • Sarah Cooper
  • Florence Keya

• Movement Action Team
  • Dr. Kathleen Cravero, GSG Community Manager
  • Dr. Paul Zeitz, Movement Executive Coordinator (interim)

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT THE BRAVE MOVEMENT

The Brave Movement is a new powerful and global survivor-centered and all allies advocacy movement to end sexual violence against children. Supported by a $10M grant from the Oak Foundation to Together for Girls, this movement is gearing up to become a powerful global force for change.

CONTACT THE BRAVE NEWSROOM

If you are a journalist or media outlet seeking further information about the Brave Movement, please contact our Brave Newsroom: press@bravemovement.org

Our Brave Newsroom supports the movement by disseminating survivor calls for action, recruiting advocates, and galvanizing supporters all over the world to end childhood sexual violence.

Hear from the Brave Movement’s Interim Executive Coordinator

By Dr. Paul Zeitz, the Brave Movement’s Interim Executive Coordinator

WASHINGTON, DC, April 25, 2022 – Societies around the globe are facing a silent scourge affecting millions of our children and adolescents around the globe.

But it’s not the COVID-19 pandemic that is posing this alarming threat but sexual violence. Children are facing child sexual abuse, intrafamilial sexual violence, child sexual exploitation, rape, child marriage, sexual violence in dating relationships and sexual violence among peers, both in person and online.

I, myself, am the survivor of childhood sexual violence perpetrated at the hands of my father. That’s why I’m honored to help lead the newly inaugurated Brave Movement made up of fifteen adult survivors of childhood sexual violence and out allies worldwide.

As a doctor trained in preventative medicine, I worked over the past two decades on the AIDS crisis, when the global community came together in solidarity to provide the technical expertise, political will and catalytic funds to tackle this deadly disease.

We at the Brave Movement believe that a similar global effort is needed to address this epidemic of violence against children and adolescents in every nation around the globe. We will not be silent anymore. We are raising our voices and coming together in a mass, worldwide movement to demand collective action from our global leaders to enact policies and laws that protect our children today and for generations to come.

And the statistics are terrifying. A recent survey by Together for Girls revealed that 120 million girls under the age of 20 have experienced sexual violence. One in 5 women and 1 in 10 men report having been sexually abused as children. And COVID has exposed children everywhere to an even greater risk of violence while reducing their ability to access any support.

Sexual violence against children and adolescents is unacceptable, criminal and preventable. Violence undermines every other investment in children from health to education to sustainable development.

Next week on Wednesday, April 27, we and our allies will host the Brave Movement Global Survivors Action Summit and invite you to join the movement and register to attend the summit, which takes place in a climate of even greater urgency given the dire situation in Ukraine where children and adolescents are at increased risk of sexual violence.

Survivor leaders from all over the world will launch our #BeBrave Call to Action and a G7 global petition, informed by national survivor movements in over 20 countries. We are calling on all G7 leaders to be brave and take bold action to end childhood sexual violence when they meet in June.

Survivors are calling on leaders at the G7 Summit in Germany to:

• Invest billions to scale up prevention, healing, and justice programs in lower income countries
• Commit to legislate on child-rights-driven approach to online end-to-end digital encryption
• Establish a G7 Survivors Council to advise the G7
• Develop and implement national action plans and strategies to end childhood sexual violence

As the world navigates out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity to reimagine how countries protect our children against sexual violence is more vital – and more possible – than ever. The global community must use this unique opportunity to make a dramatic and historic push to prioritize the safety of all children and adolescents against this public health crisis.

A lot of hard work has already begun to secure political commitments and mobilize in-country networks. The missing ingredient is sustained focus and reliable financing to enable committed national leaders and allies to finally stop this scourge of sexual violence.

We know what it takes to protect children and adolescents from sexual violence. The infrastructure and political will is already in place in many countries whose leaders are passionate about challenging the status quo. The Brave Movement and our allies are eager to collaborate and create a world in which all children can grow up in safe, secure and nurturing environments.

The time is now to act! Sexual violence is the greatest silent pandemic of our time. But survivors refuse to remain in the shadows anymore, and we and all our allies will raise our voices to demand real results. The Brave Movement is committed to mobilizing our collective energy to catalyze bold and transformational global action to protect future generations of children and adolescents everywhere.

###

Dr. Paul Zeitz is a physician, epidemiologist and award-winning advocate for global justice and human rights for 35 years. As a survivor of sexual violence at the hands of his father, he is honored to serve as a member of SAGE: Survivor Advocates Globally Empowered, and as the Brave Movement Executive Coordinator. He is a co-founder of Keep Kids Safe, a US-based movement. Previously, he founded and served as the Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance that helped generate the political will to launch and sustain PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

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GLOBAL CHALLENGE is an opportunity for survivors, survivor networks and allies to develop locally-determined National Calls to Action to end childhood sexual violence from countries around the world

The Brave Movement will launch a Global Call to Action, a G7 Call to Action, and National Calls to Action at their Global Survivors Action Summit on April 27 2022

DOWNLOAD THIS PRESS RELEASE AS A PDF [ENGLISH]

London March 10 2022

The global advocacy Brave Movement has launched a Global Challenge inviting survivors and allies to develop survivor-centered National Calls to Action based on locally determined priorities. Additionally, a Global Call to Action aiming to end childhood sexual violence will be endorsed at a Global Survivors Action Summit on April 27 2022.

Each National Call to Action will make demands to Government and other country-specific decision-makers on how they can take bold action to end childhood sexual violence.

The Brave Movement is led by fifteen adult survivors of childhood sexual violence and their allies, coming together from every continent to demand action and mobilize domestic financing to scale prevention, healing and justice programs.

The Brave Movement is taking collective action and seeking to achieve bold and transformational laws, programs and policies at the local, national and regional level, and in global institutions within the multilateral system.

The Brave Movement is building an international advocacy movement of survivors and allies that aims to mobilize billions for programs of prevention, healing and justice around the world; abolish Statutes of Limitation in every nation across the world; and develop a child-rights driven approach to online end-to-end encryption.

THE SCALE AND SCOPE OF THE CHALLENGE

• From 2019 to 2020 there was a 100% increase in reports from the public of online sexual exploitation
• 1 in 5 women report having been sexually abused as a child, one in ten girls under the age of 20 have experienced sexual violence and every year 12 million girls are married before their 18th birthday
• 1 in 10 men report having been sexually abused as children
• Based on data from over 20 countries, anywhere from 8% to 24% of boys experience some form of sexual violence before the age of 18
• The global economic impacts and costs resulting from the consequences of physical, psychological and sexual violence against children and adolescents can be as high as $7 trillion

TAKING PART IN THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE – DEVELOPING YOUR NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION

Survivor-centered organizations are asked to reach out to networks, individuals, survivors and allies develop policy proposals for government which will end childhood sexual violence in your country. National Calls to Action should represent and reflect the range of perspectives and experiences of childhood sexual violence and ensure it is survivor-centered. National Calls to Action should be submitted on the Brave Movement website by April 15 2022.

Full details of how to develop and submit a National Call to Action are available on the Brave Movement Action Hub: https://www.bravemovement.org/…

The Brave Movement will showcase National Calls to Action at the Global Survivors Action Summit (virtual) on April 27 2022 and on the Brave Movement Action Hub website.

Dr Daniela Ligiero, survivor and a leader in the Brave Movement said: “Global efforts for prevention, healing, and justice must be informed by survivor-centred national demands from organizations, networks and individuals, survivors and allies, to reflect and represent the range of experiences of childhood sexual violence.”

Dr Paul Zeitz, survivor and a leader in the Brave Movement explained why survivors and allies are crucial to the Movement: “Survivors of childhood sexual violence are pivotal to decision making for prevention, healing and justice, as our personal lived experience must inform all policy decisions. We believe it is imperative that “National Calls to Action” are survivor-centered, locally-led, and inclusive of all allies. We welcome as many countries as possible to join the Global Challenge, as we join forces in building our global movement. We are brave so children are safe.”

Rosalia Rivera, survivor and leader in the Brave Movement said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed children everywhere to an even greater risk of violence while reducing their ability to access any support. The Brave Movement will push for stronger political will, strengthen data and evidence, and better inform policy, strategy and investments across the world. This can only be done with informed national demands which allow us to work with one another to shift attitudes, change behaviors, and influence corporations and governments.”

Tabitha Mpamira, survivor and leader in the Brave Movement said: “Breaking the silence is on all of us and should not be a burden placed solely on survivors. As allies, advocates, practitioners, parents, friends, community members, faith leaders, policymakers, decision-makers and researchers, we must all act with urgency, and strengthen our movement to do more for children. The Global Challenge is one of the first crucial steps we can take together in movement building and agenda setting. We must take direct, practical actions together to drive change.”

Join the Brave Movement:

https://www.bravemovement.org/

@bebraveglobal

The Brave Movement leadership includes SAGE: Survivor Advocates Globally Empowered, and a Global Steering Group (GSG).

SAGE Members:

• Brisa De Ángulo, Bolivia
• Dr. Daniela Ligiero, USA, Brazil
• ElsaMarie D’Silva, India
• Florence Keya, Kenya
• Janet Aguti, Uganda
• Dr. Matthew McVarish, UK
• Miguel Hurtado, Spain
• Dr. Paul Zeitz, USA
• Robert Shilling, USA
• Rosalia Rivera, El Salvador, Canada, SAGE Chair
• Professor S Caroline Taylor, AM, Australia, SAGE Vice-Chair
• Sarah Cooper, USA
• Suresh Chhetry, NepalTabitha Mpamira, Rwanda, Uganda, USA
• Wibke Muller, Germany

Global Steering Group (GSG):

• The Army of Survivors
  • Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran, MSW

• End Violence Lab at the University of Edinburgh
  • Dr. Catherine Maternowska

• Girls Not Brides
  • Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell

• Together for Girls
  • Dr. Daniela Ligiero, GSG Chair
  • Sandie Taylor, GSG Vice-Chair for Finance and Administration

• WeProtect Global Alliance
  • Iain Drennan, GSG Principal Vice-Chair

• World Vision International
  • Bill Forbes

• Global Survivors Advocacy Group (SAGE) representatives to the GSG o
  • Rosalia Rivera
  • Professor S Caroline Taylor
  • Brisa De Angulo, Esq.
  • Sarah Cooper
  • Florence Keya

• Movement Action Team
  • Dr. Kathleen Cravero, GSG Community Manager
  • Dr. Paul Zeitz, Movement Executive Coordinator (interim)

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT THE BRAVE MOVEMENT

The Brave Movement is a new powerful and global survivor-centered movement that welcomes all allies in our mission to end childhood sexual violence. Supported by a $10M grant from the Oak Foundation to Together for Girls, this movement is gearing up to become a powerful global force for change.

CONTACT THE BRAVE NEWSROOM

If you are a journalist or media outlet seeking further information about the Brave Movement, please contact our Brave Newsroom: press@bravemovement.org

Our Brave Newsroom supports the movement by disseminating survivor calls for action, recruiting advocates, and galvanizing supporters all over the world to end childhood sexual violence.

DOWNLOAD THIS PRESS RELEASE AS A PDF [ENGLISH]

Adult survivors of childhood sexual violence and allies in 22 countries demanded bold action

Brave Movement Survivors and Allies Call on World Leaders to #BeBrave to End Childhood Sexual Violence

27 April 2022 – Today at the first-ever #BeBrave Global Survivors Action Summit, adult survivors of childhood sexual violence and allies in 22 countries (Albania, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America), from five continents around the world, demanded bold and transformational action as fast as possible by governments and private sector leaders.

The virtual summit was hosted by the Brave Movement, a growing international advocacy movement of survivors and allies united to end childhood sexual violence. Survivors and allies will launch National Calls to Action from 18 countries, a Solidarity Statement from over 120 organizations and individuals in India, and a G7 Call to Action. These efforts informed the Brave Movement’s #BeBrave Global Call to Action, with four global priorities:

• Justice: Abolish statute of limitations laws to guarantee that survivors who choose to can bring perpetrators and complicit institutions to justice;
• Investment: Mobilize billions of domestic financing by governments, and as appropriate, official development assistance (ODA) from wealthy countries to solve this neglected crisis in low and middle-income countries to finance comprehensive policies and programs for prevention, healing, and justice;
• Safety: Ensure a child rights-driven approach to creating a safe and secure internet for all children and adolescents, free of sexual violence;
• Inclusion: Inclusion of survivor voices in policy-making and decision-making.

So far, 80 organizations have endorsed the #BeBrave Global Call to Action, with many more expected to endorse it before it is formally delivered to government leaders in June 2022.

In addition, nine adult survivor leaders from G7 countries, India, Bolivia, and Kenya will launch the first-ever #BeBrave G7 Petition with Change.org during the Global Survivors Action Summit. The petition calls for mobilizing billions from the G7 Leaders government action to end childhood sexual violence in their own countries and around the World. The Government of Germany is hosting the next G7 Summit on June 26-28, 2022 and the Brave Movement partners and allies around the world are advocating for the G7 to commit to bold action.

The Brave Movement is catalyzing campaigners around the world to mobilize on a Global Day of #BraveAction on June 9, 2022 and demand commitments from their government leaders and G7 Leaders (#BeBraveBoris, #BeBraveEmmanuel, #BeBraveFumio, #BeBraveJoe, #BeBraveJustin, #BeBraveMario, #BeBraveOlaf) to end the scourge of childhood sexual violence.

Additionally, the Brave Movement will launch the #BeBraveZuck Campaign calling for approval by Meta shareholders of a resolution that would ensure that the company is held accountable for immediately detecting, reporting, and removing all online childhood sexual violence materials.

The Brave Movement welcomes and salutes the leaders who are speaking at the Global Survivors Action Summit, and we acknowledge their responses to the calls of survivors and allies. We are proudly building new partnerships to accelerate bold action with the European Commission, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), Oak Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, and many others.

Leadership Quotes in Support of the Brave Movement:

Gloria Estefan, singer songwriter and survivor states: “Sexual violence is the great silent scourge of our time. For too long, it has been veiled in silence, engulfed in shame and sheltered by impunity. That changes now. Sexual violence against children and adolescents is unacceptable, criminal and preventable.”

Yllva Johansson, Commissioner, European Commission, Home Affairs, states: “I applaud the Global Survivors Action Summit and the launch of the Brave Movement. I fully support their ambitious goals to end sexual violence against children and to create a world where children grow up free from sexual violence. Survivors joining forces to raise awareness and impact policy is truly empowering and will make a real difference.”

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General states: “There is never any excuse for sexual violence aganst chldren. With political commitment and the right tools, we can give our children the protection, the care and the justice they deserve.”

Cathy Russell, UNICEF Executive Director states: “When victims and survivors do speak up, we must listen and act so that every child has access to support, to services, and to justice. States have an obligation to ensure accountability in every case of violence.”

Howard Taylor, Executive Director of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, states: “Ending sexual violence against children is not only right, it is also a smart investment to make and it’s possible. The organized and powerful voices of brave survivors and their allies are breaking the silence. Now is the time for leadership action and a step-change in investment in proven solutions.”

Douglas Griffiths, President, Oak Foundation states: “Trustees and staff at Oak Foundation stand in awe of the survivors who are leading the fight against child sexual abuse. This is why we are committed to supporting survivors that are demanding radical reform. We invite others to join this movement and step up in the fight to end child sexual abuse.”

Kate Hampton, Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), states: “We stand with the Brave Movement and all survivors of childhood sexual violence, as you speak your truth, as you seek to change mindsets, and as you demand bold and transformational policies to address and defeat all violence against children. We are proud to commit ourselves to be your allies, and to be brave.”

Daniela Ligiero, Executive Director and CEO of Together for Girls, Chair of the Brave Movement, and SAGE member states: “We are calling for survivor-centred, bold and transformative action from leaders and institutions —connecting efforts at global, national, and community level, and focused on prevention, healing and justice.”

Iain Drennan, Executive Director, WeProtect Global Alliance, Vice-Chair of the Brave Movement states: “Online-facilitated child sexual abuse is one of the most urgent and defining issues of our generation. Countries, companies and charities are all involved in tackling this crime. But survivors’ perspectives are essential in understanding how the abuse happens, the impact it can have and what works to tackle it, delivering an effective collective response. WeProtect Global Alliance is proud to be an activity ally and partner of the Brave Movement, amplifying the voices of survivors in global strategic conversations about fighting child sexual abuse online.”

Rosalia Rivera, Consent educator, child sexual abuse prevention specialist, and Chair, SAGE: Survivor Advocates Globally Empowered, states: “For too long, society has failed it’s children by ignoring this crisis and willfully turning a blind eye. That ends now. Every sector of society must take collective, committed and brave action. We can and will end childhood sexual violence for this and future generations to come!”

Wibke Müller, Political scientist, policy adviser, member of the German Council of Survivors, and SAGE member states: “Survivors and allies from all over the world join forces. It is important that our knowledge is included, heard, and valued in all policies, strategies, and programs for preventing and ending childhood sexual violence and that we advocate for healing and justice. All adults need to feel responsible for protecting all children. No child can protect themselves alone. I believe that together, we are the change that is needed to end sexual violence against children and adolescents.”

Matthew McVarish, Scottish actor, writer, activist, and SAGE member states: “Survivors, Governments and NGOs gather from across the globe – together we will end childhood sexual violence. As Nelson Mandela said, it always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Sarah Cooper, Speaker, leader, Founder of the #BeBraveZuck Campaign, and SAGE member states: “Our stories hold power, but our voices together unite change. The time for change is now, We are BRAVE, together we are stronger. As survivors, we hold the power by breaking the stigma around child sexual violence.”

Tabitha Mpamira, Speaker, Mental health therapist, educator, founder of Mutera Global Healing, and SAGE Member states: “Survivors had to be their own heroes so that future generations don’t have to face the same fate. We call on you to be brave so that children can be safe.

Suresh Chhetry, Educator, activist, and SAGE member states: “I want to make sure that what happened to me does not happen again, to my children, or any other children around the world. The issue of sexual violence in schools is a global one, and one that effects both boys and girls, everywhere around the world. I am proud to serve as an advisor at Safe to Learn, an initiative dedicated to ending violence in and through schools so children are free to learn, thrive and pursue their dreams.

Brisa de Angulo, Lawyer, psychologist, human rights advocate and SAGE member states: “The future of our planet and of humanity depends on how well we protect the inherent goodness, dignity, and innocence of every child. We are the ones we have been waiting for.”

Paul Zeitz, Brave Movement Executive Coordinator (interim) and SAGE member states: “We know what it takes to create a world free of childhood sexual violence, where all of our children and adolescents can grow up in safe, secure and nurturing environments. Survivors refuse to remain in the shadows anymore, and we and all our allies will raise our voices to demand real results. The time to act is now! It’s time for a breakthrough!”

ENDS

Please contact Julia Harris, Brave Newsroom

press@bravemovement.org

+44-7545-043958

• Interview requests for access to high profile survivors
• Interviews with survivor advocates and leaders
• More background information and to explore feature ideas

About the Brave Movement:

Led by fifteen adult survivors of childhood sexual violence and allied organizations, the Brave Movement is taking collective action to achieve bold and transformational laws, programs and policies at the local, national and regional level and in global institutions within the multilateral system.

https://www.bravemovement.org/

#BeBrave Global Survivors Action Summit:

The full recording of the #BeBrave Global Survivors Action Summit will be available at https://www.bravemovement.org/

The Brave Movement strongly backs the draft EU legislation to end childhood sexual violence

MAY 11, 2022

Wibke Müller, survivor and co-founder of the Brave Movement:

“The Brave Movement strongly backs the draft legislation to end childhood sexual violence announced today by the European Commission under the leadership of the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs.

“In the EU, digital spaces are in some cases completely unregulated – exposing children to the threat of horrific sexual violence and exploitation. Technology companies have the tools to detect and remove online sexual violence materials, and we will continue to put pressure on them to prioritize child safety ahead of anything else. This legislation will for the first time enforce mandatory rules on Big Tech – to detect, report, and remove sexual violence material which endangers children and adolescents and violates their rights.

“The Brave Movement intends to work with the EU’s leadership to mobilize adult survivors of childhood sexual violence and our allies to ensure rapid passage of this historic regulation to ensure the safety of children, adolescents and future generations.”

The Brave Movement and its partners are:

• “Calling for a proportionate, long-term solution and legal framework must be found that allows automated technology to be safely used to detect Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) online.

• “The EU must make detection, reporting and removal of child sexual violence material mandatory for all internet service providers and platforms that provide a service or have users in the EU.

• “The legislation should mandate the use of grooming detection tools and deterrence mechanisms that disrupt pathways to offending against children, as well as classifiers to detect first-generation or ‘new’ material. Without this we miss the opportunity to disrupt harm at an early stage.

• “This draft legislation must include the development and deployment of technical solutions that help to eliminate, mitigate, or reduce threats to children’s safety, well-being, or rights in the digital environment.

• “Establishment of an EU Centre to tackle childhood sexual violence in Europe, that is harmonized to fit into the existing EU and global child safety governance architecture.”

Watch the Brave Movement G7 Press Conference Germany (April 6 2022)