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I pull out my sixth grade DARE card and tell lawmakers I knew the eight ways to say "no" to drugs and have never tried even a cigarette and I am nearly 30 years old. So before CAC's a child brought to a police station could be filled with anxiety and fear that they are in trouble. (See Gary Glitter's sex scandal.). My favorite story is out of my own state of Illinois (One lawmaker) had been against school mandates her entire career, and (the sponsor) warned me, she is going to get on her mic and go on about how this should not be passed, schools should not be mandated to do things, etc. She has now dedicated her life to protecting our nations children. JANESVILLE, Wis. (WMTV) - Illinois woman Erin Merryn spoke in Wisconsin Wednesday, pushing the state to pass the law in her namesake that aims to protect children and prevent child sexual abuse. At no time should the school provide the information directly to the student (unless the student is over 18). For so many years I stayed angry and bitter towards him. Erin Merryn is the author of three books about surviving incest, including "Living for Today." She also speaks nationally on the subject. MORE: Monmouth U. faces federal sexual assault case. So be careful sending little Tommy for ice at the machine down the hall and inform teens who often book motels after prom. With every passing week, and with every visit, Erin gets closer to her goal. Erin, now a 33-year-old wife and mother of two with one on the way, has spent the last eight years travelling to every state advocating for abused children. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. But when it came to being sexually abused, there was nothing. She is dedicated to taking the stigma and shame away from sexual abuse and giving survivors the courage to speak up as she has. While these inhumane animals may live among us, there is one sexual abuse survivor who has made it her mission to empower children about these evil, sick people and teach them about body safety. At a family gathering at her grandparents' lake house, she awoke in the middle of the night to find her cousin "Brian" (again, not his real name), then 13, lying next to her with his hands down her underwear. My abuse first happened at weeks shy of my seventh birthday by a neighbor it went on until age 8 and a half. Erins Law encourages research based curriculum, Merryn said. Now she's on a quest to make sure lawmakers across America hear what she has to stay. Its somebody they know and trust.. Erin's Law, named after Erin Merryn, has passed in 36 states and is pending in the other 14. They talked for hours about what had happened, and the next day told their parents about their shared horror. Known For. COURIER/JOELLYN CURRY My mission, through this legislation, is to educate children on what I never learned. Sponsored by Rep. Geran Tarr, D-Anchorage, HB 233 puts Alaska among the states considering "Erin's Law" in 2014. Today there are more then 700 Children Advocacy Centers in America and millions of children have walked through those doors.Before there were CAC's children were interviewed numerous times in places such as police stations. He did respond admitting what he did and saying he is using his past to not make the same mistakes now in his life. The case never went to trial, and Brian received some counseling, but no punishment. Erin's Law is the first US child sexual abuse prevention education law requiring children be educated in schools. I feel it would have given me the voice that these men took from me. These can seem like powerful forces to go up against. Seconds later his hand was down her pants. Therapists (and) an amazing school psychologist in high school really helped me heal. God has healed me, made me whole again, and has shown me the ability to forgive, the freedom it brings yourself, and shown me my purpose in this life, and that is to give kids the voice I didn't have. Im very concerned about the possibility of grooming or the losing the innocence of our young children. She didn't want to stop visiting her friend but tried to find times when Richard wasn't around. will then mail or hand the parents or responsible adult family member the Megans Law information. Visiting Alaska this week, Erin Merryn is a long way from home, and even farther from the torturous past she endured as a sexually abused child. Says Merryn: "[Ashley] made me pinky promise not to say anything. That's where, 14 years ago, a then-13-year-old Erin Merryn first . Erin has appeared in People Magazine, Glamour Magazine, Time Magazine, The New York Times, Time Magazine, New York Post, The London Times, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, among others. Alaska Dispatch: Do you think most lawmakers meaningfully comprehend the issue of sexual abuse? Details Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Names were the only thing she changed. Erin's Law, which debuted in Illinois, is now in 37 states and mandates that public schools teach age-appropriate sex abuse prevention to grades as young as pre-K. Merryn said those lessons on . Alaska Dispatch: Would something like what you are proposing -- Erin's Law -- have helped you? Erin Merryn, force behind Erins Law, tells her story at Metamora Township High School, Central Illinois Poetry Out Loud regional winners announced, Area students named to St. Olaf Colleges Dean's List, Fall archery hunters reach third-highest turkey harvest on record for season, FOP seeks applicants for new Peer Wellness program that will assist law enforcement officers in crisis, Local students make Carthage College dean's list, Local students named to Illinois Wesleyan University's fall 2022 Dean's List, Local students named to Trinity Christian Colleges fall 2022 Dean's List, Illinois Department of Revenue reminds eligible taxpayers to take advantage of Senior Citizens Tax Deferral Program, United Methodists form new church in Washington, District 52 proposes referendum on April ballot, Illinois natives REO Speedwagon return to the Illinois State Fair Grandstand stage, Interrupted Journey exhibition opens at Dickson Mounds Museum, Scots win 12 events at Roger Haynes Invitational, WCHS Panthers bring home All-State Honors, State Titles. Forgiving him did not mean what he did was right, she stressed. As the abuse continued, and as she was forced to see her abuser over and over again in social situations, she struggled with self-doubt, panic attacks, nightmares and the weight of whether or not to tell her terrible secret. I got five sentences to my five pages, but he responded and it opened a door of communication, she said. Senator Gillibrand on the federal version of Erin's Law to give federal funding to the law, and in December 2015 President Obama signed the federal version of Erin's Law under the Every Student Succeeds Act. A judge did sentenced her cousin to probation and counseling. (Josh Rultenberg/Spectrum News 1), California Consumer Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information, California Consumer Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The Ohio Senate is considering a bill to teach elementary, middle and high school students how to protect themselves from sexual predators, Erins Law is named after Erin Merryn who was sexually abused as a child, Thirty-seven states have passed Erins Law and Merryn has tried three times in seven years to get the bill passed in Ohio, House Bill 105 overwhelmingly passed the Ohio House a year ago. So I stayed silent. You seem incredibly resilient. She wasn't always successful. Here's how to protect your kids from online predators. But her parents thought it was because of health problems she was having at the time. If you tell anybody, you will destroy our family, she said.. The legislation, "Erin Merryn's Law," (S.6182 Klein/ A.8993 Dinowitz), would require schools to make a change to their . After Bailey's passing, she adopted a kitten named Carrot. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, An Unimaginable Act, Bailey No Ordinary Cat, and The Diary of a Cat Named Carrot. After her parents decided to move Erins abuse ended but only brought her that much closer to her next abuser, an older teenage cousin who lived down the street from her. ALBANY, N.Y. - The Independent Democratic Conference was joined today by Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz, (D-Bronx), and nationally recognized anti-abuse advocate and survivor Erin Merryn to hail the passage of important legislation to stamp out child sexual abuse in New York. At a family gathering at her grandparents' lake house, she awoke in the middle of the night to find her cousin "Brian" (again, not his real name), then 13 . The only difference is now I am running from him in my dreams" (Merryn 49). They dont warn us about our own family, they dont teach us that in school, her age 12 entry stated. She was taught how to ride out a tornado, instructed in the eight steps for turning down illegal drugs, and told how to react to a friendly stranger who might try to abduct her. I also give lots of insight and resources to parents in my third book An Unimaginable Act on warning sings to look for like bed wetting, wearing extra layers of clothes, avoiding a certain person, not wanting to be around them when they had no problem before, academic changes in school, depression, withdrawal, nightmares, aggression; acting out sexually, she said. Children must be taught to tell a trusted adult if anyone touches their private parts. Merryn: I didn't expect a response back from my cousin because my letter was very harsh filled with so much anger and rage. She told them that, growing up in Illinois, she had experienced tornado drills, fire drills and bus drills; was taught about stranger danger and eight ways to say no to drugs through D.A.R.E., but no one ever taught her how to protect herself from sexual abuse and what to do if a family member or friend molested or raped her. Erin Merryn, Stolen Innocence: Triumphing Over a Childhood Broken by Abuse: A Memoir 0 likes Like "Brian, this letter is probably coming as a complete surprise to you, but I didn't feel I should warn you since you never warned me when you were going to use my body for own damn pleasures. It was just the beginning of a long journey. As an adult, she's reclaimed the voice her. Merryn (whose other books are Stolen Innocence and Living for Today), the mother of a toddler girl, says this is a conversation parents must have every year and often. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) The abuse continued until she was almost 9. I really open lawmakers' eyes when I share this with them. Eleven states have passed the legislation. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Erin has worked diligently to lobby every state to pass Erin's Law, beginning with her home state of Illinois in 2009. In 2010, Merryn began a crusade to get Erin's Law passed across America. Author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today My goal in life is to give a voice to the voiceless and put these predators out of business, she said. "The new bill brings a mandate," Merryn said, "mandating that all (Illinois) schools--pre-school through 12th grade--must begin next fall teaching sexual-abuse prevention education in the schools." Maryland is the latest state, joining the crusade last month. She shows no signs of fatigue, and she seems ready. People would be amazed how many people this really does affect and that they know but have never come forward. Erins Law has now going international with judge in Kerala India requiring Erins Law in the 2023-2024 school year. When Merryn eventually confided in Ashley about what had happened, her friend was not surprised; in fact, the scene was depressingly familiar to her. See all See top. Erin Merryn was an innocent child of six when her best friend asked her to sleepover. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. House Bill 105 overwhelminglypassed the Ohio Housea year ago. At the age of 13, Erin finally got the courage to tell her parents after learning her younger sister was being abused by that same cousin. By breaking your silence you are reclaiming your voice. (2016) Consider This Self - Author and Children's Advocate. When people ask how I have overcome all that I have and doing what I am doing now, passing Erin's Law in 11 states, 26 introducing it and going to each capital to testify on it, I tell them all of this comes from our creator. My question to hotel or motel management would be, Why not tell? Her name is Erin Merryn and she is the founder of Erins Law. How did you find this voice? Instead I am still running from Brian. After it was republished by Health Communications in early 2005, she began traveling the nation telling her story about the sexual abuse she endured at hundreds of high schools, colleges, sexual assault centers, child abuse conferences and community events. However, Merryn said this time the perpetrator was an older cousin, someone she had viewed as a brother figure. A therapist urged her to get her anger out on paper by writing her cousin a letter detailing how she felt, and after she wrote it, she was to rip it up, burn it or otherwise throw it away. Carrot has 281,000 instagram followers. --TV host Katie Couric, 1992, 2002, and 2006 Woman of the Year.After suffering years of sexual abuse for six years of her childhood Erin broke her silence when she was 13 at a Children's Advocacy Center. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. Later, just weeks before her seventh birthday, she was raped by the same man. Is there anything about your life circumstances that you think made you a target? Are you afraid you will lose business? ThediaryIkept my secrets locked away in, where I lost my innocence, I turned into a book mysenior year of high school called Stolen Innocence, because thats whathappened to me, Merryn said. She also wantsteachers andstafftrained on the topic. It brings it all back to the surface. Alaska Dispatch: You have since spoken up in a big way. But only 1 in every 10 sexually abused children ever tell anyone about it. The first abuser, our neighbor, is someone I think who did this to any girl he had access to. How I wondered am I suppose to tell this stranger my pain when I am too ashamed to even talk in detail with my parents about it. Again, she was told to keep quiet, that no one would believe her if she said anything and that she had no proof. The book is titled "Stolen Innocence." Almost all states that have passed it are using the program, while some states are deciding how their schools will implement It into the curriculum.. It was the first federal bill passed funding sexual abuse prevention education. She was named Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year in 2012 and a People magazine Hero Among Us for her tireless work promoting Erin's Law nationwide with a mission to our keep children safe by educating them about personal body safety. He continued to abuse her on and off for nearly two years, she says, often at holidays and celebrations with her close-knit extended family. Erin Merryn is a 21-year-old college sophomore who wrote a book, "Stolen Innocence: Memoir," about her struggles after she claims she was molested by her first cousin. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, An Unimaginable Act, Bailey No Ordinary Cat, and The Diary of a Cat Named Carrot. Merryn lay on blankets on the floor next to Ashley, who was in her bed. Vermont State Board of Education has required it in schools since 2009. And it was at her house the very first overnight that I woke up to her uncle who lived in the home sexually abusing me, said Merryn. Choosing to forgive has led me to live for today.. Alaska Dispatch: When you decided to confront and start corresponding with your cousin, how did it go at first? I was told repeatedly by my cousin that I had no proof, that he would deny it, that no one would believe me. How do we lessen the control these pressures have on ourselves, our loved ones? Merryn advocates for sexual abuse victims. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. By speaking up even when family is against the idea, it is freedom for a survivor and allows them to reclaim a piece of their lives back. Erin Elizabeth was sexually abused from 11-13 by her older cousin. I had all the warning signs of an abused kid -- labeled behavior(ally) and emotionally disturbed, given an IEP (Individual Education Plan) for that behavior, I had anger problems, put my hand through a window weeks after being raped at 7 years old and threw tantrums on the floors in school. CAC The place Erin Merryn broke her silence The Children's Advocacy Center of Northwest Cook County Illinois In 1998 seventy five thousand six hundred and forty seven abused children were seen in one hundred and thirty nine Children's Advocacy Centers in America. MORE: Cancer-surviving mom stays strong for her son. Erins Law soon caught on nationwide. Children are taught that the police are their to keep their communities safe and lock up the bad people. However, during the hearing Tuesday,Ohio State Sen. Sandra OBrien, R-Ashtabula, told Merryn that whileshe was sorry about what happened to her,there will always be evil in the world.. It would be many more years until that voice would become the strong, confident woman that I have become. 4 mos. So many children will be protected because of her." 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. Partly cloudy. So, instead of speaking out, the only person she told her thoughts and feelings to was herself in the form of a little pink diary. Erin Merryn (Author) 139 ratings Kindle Edition $17.99 Read with Our Free App Paperback $16.56 16 Used from $11.22 5 New from $45.35 Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Soon it was no longer our secret and I was behind a different closed door not the one to a bedroom, a bathroom, basement, or closet but this time into a colorful room with a small table and bright light shinning through the skylight. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erin's Law. I guess what I was trying to ask is, why do you think your abusers chose you instead of some other girl as a target? She came to me after I had been abused for two years and told me words I never expected to hear, that she too was being abused by the same family member. He sat down in front of Merryn and put his finger to his lips signaling her to remain quiet. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Erin Merryn speaks with enthusiasm, rattling off the list of trips around the globe, the hours of research and meetings promoting her cause. We simply cannot stand by and allow these innocent kids to feel ashamed and live in fear at the hands of their abuser. Every six minutes a child is sexually abused in the U.S. One in every 4 girls and 6 boys will be sexually assaulted before the turn 18 over 90% by a family member or friend. Her friend slept through the assault, and Merryn remained silent. Did you ever wonder, or ever ask him, why he did what he did? I continued to write him because I wanted answers. Him did not mean what he did after Bailey 's passing, she stressed silence! Hb 233 puts alaska among the states considering `` Erin 's Law the. Lessen the control these pressures have on ourselves, our loved ones in suburbs... -- have helped you ourselves, our loved ones being sexually abused, there was nothing Author! Made you a target for ice at the machine down the hall and inform teens who often book after! It in schools the floor next to Ashley, who was in her bed who this! Quest to make sure lawmakers across America hear what she has now dedicated her life to protecting nations. 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