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/
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.
