Inside the Courthouse: Rhyan’s Role at the Victim Assistance Court Program

Housing several floors of offices and court rooms, Mecklenburg County Courthouse can be a daunting place. Survivors of domestic and sexual violence find comfort and guidance in Rhyan Given, a court navigator with Safe Alliance's Victim Assistance Court Program (VACP). Rhyan supports survivors by helping them understand court procedures, complete legal paperwork, access community resources, and navigate the court system while providing compassionate and trauma-informed assistance. Before ... Read more

Who Does Safe Alliance Counseling Support?

At Safe Alliance, our Sexual Trauma Resource Center (STRC) has a dedicated team of advocates and clinicians that guide and support survivors of domestical violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking and their non offending loved ones day in and day out. With their experience and guidance, survivors are able to start their journeys towards hope and healing. You may be wondering whether Safe Alliance counseling services are designed for someone in your situation. While every perso ... Read more

7 Hidden Signs of Trauma

Disclaimer: Everyone experiences trauma differently. The signs shared here are just a few possibilities, and they won't apply to everyone. This post is meant to offer gentle insight and raise awareness, not to diagnose or label anyone's experience. If you're feeling unsure about how past experiences may be affecting you, consider reaching out to a licensed mental health professional. You don't have to figure it out alone; support is available. ... Read more

Creating Space for Teens to Be Teens: Reggie’s Work at Safe Alliance

When teens arrive at shelter, they bring more than backpacks and homework. They bring experiences that have often asked them to grow up far too fast. Reggie Stevens, Safe Alliance's Shelter MSW Social Worker, is helping change that narrative by creating a space where teens can slow down, feel supported, and begin to reconnect with who they are. Before joining Safe Alliance, Reggie worked in a school setting. He consistently saw a gap: students needed both academic support and social-e ... Read more

A Mile of Hope and Healing

More than five hundred people filled Truist Field on a cool Saturday morning-- smiling, laughing, hugging friends new and old, and gathering together for one shared purpose: supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. For many, Walk A Mile is more than a fundraiser. It's a visible reminder to survivors that they are not alone. Safe Alliance works every day to help survivors move toward hope and healing after experiencing some of life's most pai ... Read more

The Faces Behind the Sexual Trauma Resource Center

1 in 3 women. 1 in 6 men. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and is an issue that is discussed, treated, and handled with care every single day at Safe Alliance. It is a pressing and prevalent issue in our society, as the United States sees an average of 443,000 cases of sexual assault occur each year. At Safe Alliance, our Sexual Trauma Resource Center (STRC) has a dedicated team of advocates and clinicians that guide and support survivors day in and day out. With their ... Read more

Safe Alliance’s Role in Supporting Survivors and Housing Stability

Statistics show that nearly 90% of unhoused women have endured severe physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime. When we talk about safety, we often focus on crisis moments. But at Safe Alliance, we know that long-term safety is deeply tied to something more foundational: stable housing. During Fair Housing Month, we're lifting up the often-overlooked connection between housing access, survivor safety, and homelessness prevention and how our p ... Read more

Protecting Childhood Together: Safe Alliance, Pat’s Place, and the Power of Collaboration

Every child deserves a childhood defined by safety, stability, and the freedom to simply be a child. That's why our collaboration with Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center matters so deeply. At the heart of Pat's Place is a simple but powerful mission: "Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center provides a coordinated, child-focused response to allegations of child abuse. Our goal is to reduce trauma for children and families by bringing together law enforcement, c ... Read more

When Control and Harassment Follow Teens Online

A Collaboration with David W. Butler High School's DREAM Team For today's teens, relationships don't end when the school day does. They continue through text messages, social media, gaming platforms, and shared apps. Technology helps teens stay connected, but it can also be used in ways that feel overwhelming, invasive, or unsafe. At David W. Butler High School, members of the DREAM Team, a student group committed to living lives free of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, a ... Read more

What Trauma Does to the Brain (And Why You’re Not Broken)

"You're stressed, you're kind of in this high emotional state... You're not sleeping. Your appetite's all over the place. You're not taking care of your body, and that just adds to everything else the trauma is already doing. It all cycles on top of each other." - Stephanie Ledbetter, Safe Alliance When you're dealing with trauma, it can feel like your whole world gets turned inside out, and that's ... Read more