The education part - 

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This is the simplest part but due to parent stigma and lack of knowledge is the most difficult to implement, in my opinion and experience. Pilgrim’s administration Lutherinized an age specific “body safety” education teaching curriculum for children. These body safety teachings occur twice a year for students and once a year for confirmation students which receive this already in their public schools, at Pilgrim (example): talking about safe touch unsafe touch, telling an adult, and then an associated Bible reading.  

 

In 2008 Erin Merryn  began a journey to get a law mandating child be taught personal body safety in schools. She successfully passed Erin's Law in her home state of Illinois in 2013. She has made it her mission to get Erin's Law passed in all 50 states.  Currently, Erin's Law has been passed in 35 states. Her message describes a journey of resilience, inspiration, forgiveness, and determination. Please click on the Erin’s law link that explains, the education piece, the best. http://erinslaw.org/

Illinois has passed Erin’s Law!

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From Erin's WEB site:

 

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 ways to say "NO" to drugs in DARE.

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? I never learning about safe and unsafe touches or safe and unsafe secrets.  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 I knew 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 and lived in that silence alone. When I was raped and sexually abused as a child I did not know what to do. I was confused and scared. My body seemed to belong to the men that used and abused me. It was the message I was educated on.

It is my mission to pass Erin's Law in all 50 states and I won't let anything stop me. Children need a voice. As a society we are responsible to give them that voice.

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