Erin's Law
Growing up in Illinois public schools every year I was educated with my classmates on tornado drills, fire drills, bus drills, stranger danger, and learned the 8 steps to say "NO" to drugs through D.A.R.E.
As a child I never had to take cover because of a real tornado. I never had to stop, drop, and roll or run out of a burning building. I never had to evacuate a school bus due to an emergency, but I had the knowledge to know what to do if any of those situations happened. Where was the drill on how to escape a child molester? Where was the lesson plan on sexual abuse, safe touches, and safe secrets? It never came. I was not educated on “How to Tell Today or How to Get Away.” I was never educated on “My Body Belongs to Me.” When a grown man lay on top of me at 6 1/2 years old and threaten to tie me to a bed if I did not lay still and be quiet as he raped me or when my teenage cousin locked me behind closed doors and warned me "this is our little secret, no one will believe you, this will destroy our family" as he sexually abused me on a bed I stayed silent. When I was raped and sexually abused as a child I did not know what to do. My body seemed to belong to the men that used and abused it was the message I learned, because I was getting no other message.
A bill has been attached to Erin's Law on April 2010 by senator Tim Bivins
Illinois Senate Bill 2843
The name of this law is Erin’s Law.
Each school district may adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse of children that may include age-appropriate curriculum for students in pre-K through 5th grade; training for school personnel on child sexual abuse; educational information to parents or guardians provided in the school handbook on the warning signs of a child being abused, along with any needed assistance, referral, or resource information; available counseling and resources for students affected by sexual abuse; and emotional and educational support for a child of abuse to continue to be successful in school.
Any policy adopted may, but is not limited to, address the following:
(1) methods for increasing teacher, student, and parent awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse of children, including knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse:
(2) actions that a child who is a victim of sexual abuse should take to obtain assistance and intervention; and
(3) available counseling options for students affected by sexual abuse.
SECTION 2. The Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children is created. The Task Force shall establish strategies for reducing child sexual abuse throughout Illinois.
The task force consists of nine members appointed as follows:
(1) five members appointed by the governor;
(2) one members appointed by the President of the Senate;
(3) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(4) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(5) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
Members of the task force must be individuals who are actively involved in the fields of the prevention of child abuse and neglect and child welfare. The appointment of members must reflect the geographic diversity of the state.
The task force shall elect a presiding officer by a majority vote of the membership of the task force. The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding officer.
The task force shall establish strategies for reducing child sexual abuse in Illinois. In establishing those strategies, the task force shall:
(1) gather information concerning child sexual abuse throughout the state;
(2) receive reports and testimony from individuals, state and local agencies, community-based organizations, and other public and private organizations;
(3) create goals for state policy that would prevent child sexual abuse; and
(4) submit a final report with its final strategic goals and plans to the Office of the Governor and the State Legislature by April 30, 2011.
The aforementioned strategic plan may include proposals for specific statutory changes and methods to foster cooperation among state agencies and between the state and local government.
The task force shall consult with employees of the Department of Children and Family Services, the Criminal Justice Information Agency, the Department of State Police, the Illinois State Board of Education and any other State agency or department as necessary to accomplish the task force's responsibilities under this Act.
As a child I never had to take cover because of a real tornado. I never had to stop, drop, and roll or run out of a burning building. I never had to evacuate a school bus due to an emergency, but I had the knowledge to know what to do if any of those situations happened. Where was the drill on how to escape a child molester? Where was the lesson plan on sexual abuse, safe touches, and safe secrets? It never came. I was not educated on “How to Tell Today or How to Get Away.” I was never educated on “My Body Belongs to Me.” When a grown man lay on top of me at 6 1/2 years old and threaten to tie me to a bed if I did not lay still and be quiet as he raped me or when my teenage cousin locked me behind closed doors and warned me "this is our little secret, no one will believe you, this will destroy our family" as he sexually abused me on a bed I stayed silent. When I was raped and sexually abused as a child I did not know what to do. My body seemed to belong to the men that used and abused it was the message I learned, because I was getting no other message.
A bill has been attached to Erin's Law on April 2010 by senator Tim Bivins
Illinois Senate Bill 2843
The name of this law is Erin’s Law.
Each school district may adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse of children that may include age-appropriate curriculum for students in pre-K through 5th grade; training for school personnel on child sexual abuse; educational information to parents or guardians provided in the school handbook on the warning signs of a child being abused, along with any needed assistance, referral, or resource information; available counseling and resources for students affected by sexual abuse; and emotional and educational support for a child of abuse to continue to be successful in school.
Any policy adopted may, but is not limited to, address the following:
(1) methods for increasing teacher, student, and parent awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse of children, including knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse:
(2) actions that a child who is a victim of sexual abuse should take to obtain assistance and intervention; and
(3) available counseling options for students affected by sexual abuse.
SECTION 2. The Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children is created. The Task Force shall establish strategies for reducing child sexual abuse throughout Illinois.
The task force consists of nine members appointed as follows:
(1) five members appointed by the governor;
(2) one members appointed by the President of the Senate;
(3) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(4) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(5) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
Members of the task force must be individuals who are actively involved in the fields of the prevention of child abuse and neglect and child welfare. The appointment of members must reflect the geographic diversity of the state.
The task force shall elect a presiding officer by a majority vote of the membership of the task force. The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding officer.
The task force shall establish strategies for reducing child sexual abuse in Illinois. In establishing those strategies, the task force shall:
(1) gather information concerning child sexual abuse throughout the state;
(2) receive reports and testimony from individuals, state and local agencies, community-based organizations, and other public and private organizations;
(3) create goals for state policy that would prevent child sexual abuse; and
(4) submit a final report with its final strategic goals and plans to the Office of the Governor and the State Legislature by April 30, 2011.
The aforementioned strategic plan may include proposals for specific statutory changes and methods to foster cooperation among state agencies and between the state and local government.
The task force shall consult with employees of the Department of Children and Family Services, the Criminal Justice Information Agency, the Department of State Police, the Illinois State Board of Education and any other State agency or department as necessary to accomplish the task force's responsibilities under this Act.
