BRAVING THE CORONAVIRUS

Braving the Coronavirus

Dear Brave Steppers,

Hope this note finds you well, both physically and mentally, during these trying times. As supporters of Brave Step, we want to provide an update on how we are braving the coronavirus.

In our mission to empower individuals who have been impacted by sexual violence, the coronavirus has certainly created some barriers, and ones we are tackling head on.

One of Brave Step’s guiding principles is delivering multi-disciplinary services that are responsive and flexible to the need while maintaining a personal touch. At this time, responsive and flexible to the need is most imperative. To address that need, we have transitioned our peer group and group therapy to an online forum.

We also believe that for survivors who have lived for months, years and decades in silence, social distancing is a challenge to the healing process. Clients currently in individual counseling are able to continue their time and connection utilizing HIPAA-compliant telehealth services. We are grateful to our carefully vetted trauma therapists for their continued commitment to Brave Step’s clients.

Is there cause for concern? Yes.

During a time of quarantine, your family members and neighbors’ risk for sexual violence is magnified. To put the risk in perspective, “nearly 6 out of 10 sexual assaults occur in the victim’s home or the home of a friend, relative or neighbor.” (Department of Justice) For many, this period of isolation is a nightmare. If you want a glimpse of the nightmare, please read “Little Me” by Brave Sharon.
We anticipate this danger will increase requests for help and need your help to financially prepare for that.
It’s apparent that the coronavirus will have a significant economic impact on individuals, requiring them to choose basic necessities over critical mental health care. We need to be prepared to meet this need to help them reclaim the life they deserve.

How can you help?

Donate: Please consider a $5, $10, $20 or more contribution or sign up as a monthly giver. There are three easy ways to contribute.
- PayPal – https://bravestep.org/donate/
- Online bank bill pay. Simply set up Brave Step as a gift recipient.
- Paper checks and good old U.S. Mail. Mail it to 970 Stafford Farm Road, Concord, N.C. 28025.
Shop AmazonSmile and designate Brave Step as your charity of choice.
Encourage adult survivors to get help. Share this email or a social media post to your network. Brave Step offers a multi-faceted healing model that includes individual counseling, group therapy, peer-led support groups, empowerment programs, and ways to find one’s voice.
Connect with us on social media and stay apprised of our efforts. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.