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WHAT IS ERIN'S LAW?
Erin Merryn PSA For Parents
Erin’s Law is named after childhood sexual assault survivor, author, speaker, and activist Erin Merryn, who is the founder and President of Erin’s Law, which is registered with the State of Illinois and the IRS as a 501 (c)(4) non-profit social welfare organization.
After Erin introduced the legislation in her home state of Illinois, the bill was named “Erin’s Law” after her by legislators, and it has caught on nationwide. Illinois is the first state by law to mandate child sexual abuse prevention education. Vermont State Board of Education required this in schools since 2009. As of January 2023, Erin’s Law has been passed in 38 states. Check out Erin’s interview on CNN from 2018.
According to ErinsLaw.org, Erin’s Law requires that all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program that teaches:
Students in grades preschool through - 12th grade, age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult.
Teach all school personal about child sexual abuse and the warning signs.
Share with parents and guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, and provide resources information to support sexually abused children and their families.
District 161 Erin's Law Curriculum
Pre-K through 5th grade school social workers teach the Second Step Child Protective Units during the Social Emotional Learning classes during the first quarter.
The units focus on the following objectives:
Personal Safety: Students learn essential safety rules to help them decide if something is safe.
Touching Safety: Students learn about safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches and rules about touching private parts. Also, know to say no to hazardous or unwanted communications and to tell an adult if someone breaks the rules about touching private parts.
Assertiveness: These lessons will also give students a chance to practice asking an adult for help, telling an adult about an unsafe situation, and being assertive to get out of unsafe situations
6th through 8th grade school workers teach the Safer, Smarter Teens personal safety curriculum. The curriculum is taught during SEL classes for 6th and 7th and during P.E. for 8th graders.
The curriculum focuses on:
Empowerment: Building student's self-esteem. Each person has the right to control what happens to his/her body.
Respect: Students will learn how to set personal boundaries. Their body is their own; they must communicate with a trusted adult if someone makes them uncomfortable. They can take steps that may help prevent sexual abuse and keep themselves safe.
Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships: Setting personal boundaries means they have the right to say “no” to anything that makes them uncomfortable. Healthy relationships are safe and rewarding.