Garnering international buzz each year, It’s easy to get caught up in the glam and glitz surrounding the Grammys. This past Sunday, it wasn’t those gorgeous gowns that gave us chills. It wasn’t even Beyonce’s unforgettable performance of ‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” that took down the house for us.

It was longtime activist Brooke Axtell that shook us in a way we never expected. Preceding Katy Perry’s performance of “By the Grace of God”, Axtell bravely and gracefully took the stage. In front of millions of viewers, Axtell opened up about her past experiences with domestic violence and sexual abuse.

“Authentic love does not devalue another human being. Authentic love does not silence, shame or abuse.” Axtell said. “Let it set you free to know who you truly are — valuable, beautiful, loved.”

We admire Axtell for taking a stand on such an untouched issue. We are proud to have such strong, courageous women fighting alongside us to end trafficking and violence against women.

It’s not easy to rise above the statistic. Since it’s opening, Rethreaded has employed nearly a dozen women who, Like Axtell, have overcome the sex trade. Their stories inspire us to keep fighting for what we do, and remind us that we really can make a difference in the lives of others. Axtell is living proof.

You can take a stand, too. Rethreaded is constantly working to help break the sex trade on a local and national scale. Through a t-shirt donation, a fundraiser, or just by word of mouth, together we can turn up the volume and make our voices heard. Let’s end it.