According to Merryn, every school gets the option to pick a Erins Law program, and have an outside agency teach. Sexually abused and raped from age 6-8 by an adult neighbor Erin was threatened to stay silent by her abuser. Meanwhile, the survivor who came up with the idea aftersufferingher own personal horrors shared her story with senators Tuesday. I didnt want to talk to anyone about this. In 2013, Governor Quinn signed it into law requiring Illinois schools to teach it every single year. She also pointed out the real loss of innocence for a child is when they are sexually abused and nothing is done about it. [5] 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. Read more Was this just bad luck? Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. She is the founder of Erin's Law, which requires public schools to teach children personal body safety on the prevention of child sexual abuse. 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. If you tell anybody, you will destroy our family, she said.. Erin Merryn A Voice for the Voiceless Author, Activist, Speaker, wife, mother, and force behind Erin's Law Glamour Magazine 2012 Woman of the Year. Merryn found her voice at 13 when her younger sister said the words she'll never forget: "Brian's gross!" It turned out cousin Brian was abusing Merryn's little sister, too. 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. Im very concerned about the possibility of grooming or the losing the innocence of our young children. Here's How We Amplify It | National Children's Alliance", "Erin Merryn Fights for Law to Help Child Sexual Assault Victims", "Erin's Law: When the Abuser Is No Stranger", "State Senate Passes Erin Merryn's Law Aimed at Child Sex Abuse Prevention", "Survivor Recalls Alleged Incest in Book", "Child Sexual Abuse Survivor Gets Law Passed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erin_Merryn&oldid=1132623568, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 19:15. Those were just the number of children who broke their silence that year. Erin Merryn, the bill's namesake and a survivor of sexual abuse, said she is frustrated by the governor's slow response to sign it into law. What once caused her shame, and something she never wanted to talk about, she now found herself wanting to turn it into a book. Merryn: I was terrified. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. She explained to her cousin that she didnt want to publish it out of revenge, rather to help the millions of other sexual assault survivors. Author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today Victims are those who don't survive. She has appeared on Oprah, Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, TLC documentary Breaking the Silence, CBS This Morning, Katie Couric, Tamaron Hall, 700 Club, and over 200 local media stations. But her parents thought it was because of health problems she was having at the time. There is a misconception about this issue many people think sexual abuse only happens to the poor, to people who come from broken homes, etc. Erin Merryn, a sexual abuse survivor, applauds Stewart for making her story public. In 2014 People magazine named her one of fifteen women changing the world along with Oprah and Hillary Clinton. The book is titled "Stolen Innocence." Now I have somebody I love and trust abusing me," Merryn said. 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. 4 mos. I also learned in group how to create a safe place to escape to when memories flooded my memory.While I was not ready at thirteen and fourteen to immediately share the journey of what all I went through because I was still too ashamed the Children's Advocacy Center laid the foundation in my healing to one day let that voice be heard. Erins Law has now going international with judge in Kerala India requiring Erins Law in the 2023-2024 school year. I had only ever been told no one (would) believe me, I feared ruining our large extended family when they learned a family member (teenage cousin) was molesting my sister and I. Sixteen years ago, on March 29, 1998, my sister broke her silence to me. ABC News agreed to use her pen name and a false name for the man she says abused her. After graduating, Erin went on to earn her Masters degree in social work, but from time to time she would still consult her little pink childhood diary. A judge did sentenced her cousin to probation and counseling. I tell parents the best way to talk to kids about this is through the swimsuit lesson, Merryn said. She is not ashamed of the sexual abuse she endured as a child and, instead, feels inspired to put a face and voice on childhood sexual abuse. Again, she was told to keep quiet, that no one would believe her if she said anything and that she had no proof. I know that when theres one in four girls and one in six boys (being abused) Im not the only one standing in this room that this has happened to, Erin said of the statistics. Alaska Dispatch: You have since spoken up in a big way. See all See top. "He told me, just like in the past by this other perpetrator, 'Erin, this is our . Erin is a mom to three little girls. Merryn successfully passed it in her state of Illinois in 2013 and has been traveling from one state capital to another testifying to state lawmakers to . That is what brought Erin to tell her story at Metamora Township High School last Monday afternoon, during an all-school assembly. The law was passed in a number of states,[7] with New York becoming the 37th in 2019. Merryn: Yes. MORE: Monmouth U. faces federal sexual assault case. It allowed me to go on this mission to be a face and voice for millions by letting go of hatred and instead turning pain into a purpose. At first, it happened when she was babysitting her younger cousins and their older brother would arrive home before their mother. 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. Therapists (and) an amazing school psychologist in high school really helped me heal. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Every parent should do their homework before they send their kids anywhere. Its word for word my diary from the ages of 10 until my senior year of high school. Read more about Erin Merryn on her Erin's Law Facebook page and her website. In December 2015, President Obama signed the federal version of Erin's Law providing federal funding toschools to provide this education. 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.. Alaska Dispatch: Would something like what you are proposing -- Erin's Law -- have helped you? will then mail or hand the parents or responsible adult family member the Megans Law information. It was a detailed account of how an officer came to her school to talk about stranger danger. Children learn all kinds of safety lessons in schools, like how to deal with natural disasters, fires and strangers. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. He was the father of my best friend. A voice that flies across America and speaks at many of these CAC's that exist taking people back to my experience at the CAC and this time sharing all the details because I no longer carry the shame but instead a voice bringing awareness to these incredible centers that give children a new start on life and a path toward healing. Erin Merryn speaks with enthusiasm, rattling off the list of trips around the globe, the hours of research and meetings promoting her cause. Innocence lost. The school, community organization, day care center, etc. Erin endured the abuse from age 6 to 8 and from 11 to 13 and felt the long-lasting effects of her guilt, shame and loss of innocence. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. --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. Should someone have known something was wrong sooner? You have permission to edit this article. I found myself locked in bedrooms, basements, bathrooms, a car, garage and repeatedly assaulted by my cousin.. No one would believe me, she recalls this man telling her. She started by pulling out that little pink diary. Unthinkable acts. Erin said they just wanted to make sure their nephew got help. I feel it would have given me the voice that these men took from me. But at age 11, Merryn's second nightmare began. 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. 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.. Alaska Dispatch: Let's talk about two words we hear a lot when covering sexual abuse stories: victim and survivor. (See Gary Glitter's sex scandal.). She didn't want to stop visiting her friend but tried to find times when Richard wasn't around. We've had an unprecedented change for our Gingerbread House Partners in Prevention 2021 Luncheon and we couldn't be more excited! 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. IG: The_Cat_Named_Carrot.Ellen is Carrot's biggest fan. Erin Merryn is an author (Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, An Unimaginable Act), activist, and founder of Erin's Law. Alaska Dispatch: Do you think most lawmakers meaningfully comprehend the issue of sexual abuse? Well, something shocking happened. He was free, but the rage inside Erin remained. Erins Law encourages research based curriculum, Merryn said. Eventually though the conversation has to shift and that question that I will never forget. Gov. 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. It was taught every year, and when a creepy van pulled up when I was 12 having a lemonade and the man put his hand out the window asking me to take the change those lessons immediately played back in my mind. MORE: Cancer-surviving mom stays strong for her son. In 2008, Erin decided to step up her efforts to protect children nationwide and started writing state legislators to ask them to pass laws requiring schools to better educate children, school employees and parents how to prevent and stop child sexual abuse. One personal safety lesson learned at school that actually helped me in life was "stranger danger." Merryn: Many don't realize that there are 42 million survivors in America of child sexual abuse. Merryn: My resilience took a lot of psychological help growing up as a kid, teen, and young adult. The center provided me a safe place to connect with people who understood unlike my friends in school who did not understand what I had gone through. When Erin Merryn was a child, she was sexually abused by two people she knew and trusted, including a family member. Merryn: I reclaimed my voice in the Children's Advocacy Center. Usually, the abuse isnt at the hands of a stranger, rather someone they know and trust. By breaking your silence you are reclaiming your voice. Buccos bill requires all school districts to incorporate age-appropriate sexual abuse awareness and prevention education in grades preschool through 12 as part of Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. That's where, 14 years ago, a then-13-year-old Erin Merryn first . [3], "I was not educated on not keeping secrets if someone was hurting me. 46 reviews. Sponsored by Rep. Geran Tarr, D-Anchorage, HB 233 puts Alaska among the states considering "Erin's Law" in 2014. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. Erin's Law has passed in 21 states and is pending in 22 others. According to the Office of the Monmouth County Prosecutors website, the only time that Megans Law information will be released to parents or families of students is if the school receives a Tier III high risk notice concerning an offender living within a 1,000-foot radius of their location. COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio Senate is considering a bill to teach elementary, middle and high school students how to protect themselves from sexual predators. Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erin's Law. Merryn worked with U.S. I wanted to know why, and when I asked if he was abused, he denied it and said he abused me out of curiosity and an urge of sexuality. But at age 11, Merryn's second nightmare began. The bill had already passed the House . The case never went to trial, and Brian received some counseling, but no punishment. With every passing week, and with every visit, Erin gets closer to her goal. The cousin used the same tactic as her first abuser telling her no one would believe her and there was no proof. Merryn didn't tell anyone until she was 13 and she suspected her sister was also being abused. Merryn realized he had been molesting her sister too. She kept quiet, but behavior problems soon followed. How and when did you do it first? In just a few short years, she has already persuaded half the countryto pass similar versions of the law. On Thursday, Quinn signed "Erin's Law" at the Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County in Hoffman Estates. She wasn't always successful. Merryn: The first thing someone can do is start talking about it. She is an activist against child sexual abuse as well as the founder of Erin's Law, which requires public schools to teach children personal body safety in order to prevent child sexual abuse. My parents believed me and my cousin Brian confessed to the police, she said. ", Merryn's family, including her two sisters, moved to another neighborhood in the same town when Merryn was 8, and she stopped seeing Ashley. My second abuser, my cousin, came from a family of all boys. As a young child from 6 to 8 (years old), when the neighbor was abusing me, he warned me if I told anyone he would come get me; he knew where I lived. There was one good thing about my sister coming forward, she said. I remember immediately after answering the interviewer I said "That's the reason I didn't tell before, I kept it to myself because I thought no one would believe me." I just wanted to get it over with.She was a forensic interviewer who had been trained to interview children who had reported abuse. Every other headline horrifies the public with another predator taking not just advantage of a child but everything from a child. It was just the beginning of a long journey. At no time should the school provide the information directly to the student (unless the student is over 18). It is when they hear my story of how I was raped, and how my abusers controlled the situation by being the only ones talking to me about what was happening, that they "get it." Erin Merryn testified Tuesday in an Ohio Senate committee about 'Erin's Law.' But her nightmare was just beginning. Says Merryn: "[Ashley] made me pinky promise not to say anything. A week later, she got a reply. When Merryn eventually confided in Ashley about what had happened, her friend was not surprised; in fact, the scene was depressingly familiar to her. So be careful sending little Tommy for ice at the machine down the hall and inform teens who often book motels after prom. 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. [8] In November 2009, she published a second book, Living For Today, discussing earlier abuse by her neighbor. MORE: Moms and dads, can we talk about stranger danger? 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. As an adult, she's reclaimed the voice her abusers tried to silence. The shame is so overwhelming. At age 17, she attempted suicide. Instead of putting their daughters through further emotional trauma of a criminal trial, Erins parents decided not to press charges. Erin's Law was the first law passed in the United States requiring sexual abuse prevention education to be taught to students in school every year, and it was subsequently passed in 38 U.S. states before being signed into federal law. Erin Merryn from Elgin, Illinois, was just weeks shy of her seventh birthday when she was raped by an adult neighbor. Erin Elizabeth had cheerful holidays turned into a fight to protect herself from evil where she often lost. I remember being so utterly confused.. Merryn now had a duty as a big sister to protect her younger sibling. "Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. The place Erin reclaimed her voice and began her journey to healing. As for Merryn, today shes married, the mother of an almost 2 year old, and expecting her second child in eight weeks. More than 90 percent of children who are sexually abused know their attacker, Bucco said with conviction. Do you still stay in contact with him? It brings it all back to the surface. At age 11, Erin fell victim again. Caught you off guard? I just figured I told my mom, and I never had to talk about this again. But when it came to being sexually abused, there was nothing. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. The girls were brought to a Children's Advocacy Center where they had to tell their stories to complete strangers, something Erin wasnt looking forward to at all. Erin's Law is the first US child sexual abuse prevention education law requiring children be educated in schools. After an evening of playing with Ashley's dollhouse and watching The Little Mermaid, the girls went to bed in Ashley's room. I was keeping this secret with my best friend because he was also abusing her, Merryn said. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. My sister and I told our parents the next day (and) we were referred to the Children's Advocacy Center by police detectives to be interviewed. I got five sentences to my five pages, but he responded and it opened a door of communication, she said. Erin decided at a young age to take a stand against evil and expose the silent epidemic of child sexual abuse in the spotlight. I finally got, after seven months, what I had been looking for: an apology. After describing the difference between the truth and a lie I was asked if I agreed to tell the truth that day. How? "Erin's Law" is named after Schaumburg native and activist Erin Merryn. EN. The only difference is now I am running from him in my dreams" (Merryn 49). Then, after seven months of back-and-forths, he wrote a heartfelt apology to Erin and asking for her forgiveness, but also understanding if she couldnt forgive him. She wanted him to know how much his actions had affected her life. I think he knew that once he had us conditioned, we were easy targets. Who encouraged you to keep talking, to keep fighting? The two continued to correspond for seven months. Thats precisely why she does what she does. Known For. One day, a particular entry she wrote caught her eye. The next steps for the bill remain unknown. Immediately I thought I was being asked this question because she already did not believe me. COLUMBUS, Ohio - Erin Merryn, a Chicago-area resident behind an Ohio bill that would require public schools to provide age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention instruction, told a Senate. Merryn's family, including her two sisters, moved to another neighborhood in the same town when Merryn was 8, and she stopped seeing Ashley. Carrot has 281,000 instagram followers. 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. "Erin Merryn's Law," a bill that will create a task force to study child sexual abuse in West Virginia, passed the state Senate unanimously on Monday. I will not stop until children in all 50 states are protected from sexual abuse.". When I look at you, I see nothing but scum. No one is allowed in the bathroom with you not even your friend. Forgiveness set me free. (2016) Consider This Self - Author and Children's Advocate. Through her personal diary, written during the years of her abuse, Erin shares her journey through pain and confusion to inner strength and, ultimately, forgiveness. Erin Merryn's memoir is about how her life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted."I thought when the abuse stopped I could move on with my life. I can spend the rest of my life hating him, or I can forgive him and do something positive about this thing that continues to be a negative thing in my life, she said. Donors may not deduct contributions made to Erins Law under IRC Section 170 (c) (2). 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 . There, at her friends house, in the middle of the night, she was sexually assaulted by her friends uncle. My mom was a mess, that day she probably cried for 10 straight hours, looking at my dad saying, we missed all the red flags, her grades, she was depressed, Erin recalled. 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. In 2013 Governor Quinn signed Erins Law mandating child sexual abuse education in all Illinois public schools. Merryn lay on blankets on the floor next to Ashley, who was in her bed. Putting the lives of children in danger and possibly taking their innocence is worth it? Use safe and unsafe touch. She was afraid she would be a burden to her cousin and that no one would believe her. Merryn is now taking her fight to the state of Alabama. The abuse continued and Erin struggled with the secret that hung over her, a secret that eventually destroyed a family and took Erin's innocence. tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. It turned out cousin Brian was abusing Merryns little sister, too. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. 5 talking about this. It was so brutal I thought I was dying, Merryn, Glamour magazines 2012 Woman of the Year, recalled in an interview with the Asbury Park Press. Merryn is a national spokesperson for the National Children's Alliance, becoming the first survivor of child sexual abuse that went through a Children's Advocacy Center to speak on national television about her experience.[1]. Has anything particularly heartened you? So, she forgave him. The abuse continued until she was almost 9. The areas covered by your swimsuit are not for anyone to be touching, unless mommy and daddy are helping you with a bath. You seem incredibly resilient. February 7, 2023 by Cindy Erin Merryn is a Global Advocate for Child Sex Abuse Prevention For years, Erin Merryn was too scared to speak up about sexual abuse. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. 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. Erin said he would occasionally downplay what he did, but he never denied it. I really open lawmakers' eyes when I share this with them. She is an activist against child sexual abuse as well as the founder of Erin's Law, which requires public schools to teach children personal body safety in order to prevent child sexual abuse. Teaching kids the differences between safe and unsafe touch, safe and unsafe secrets, how to report this to a safe adult and to keep reporting it if your abuse does not end, said Merryn. What if their family is pressuring them to just keep quiet and get on with their life? Merryn spoke to members of the Ohio SenatePrimary and Secondary Education Committee of how she was sexually abused as a child. I will fight alongside Erin and the advocates right here in our community until the day that this lifesaving legislation finally becomes law.. Merryn said she testified four times for the task force. Realizing I was not a fault and learning to let go of the guilt. These can seem like powerful forces to go up against. They never came, so I stayed silent. Sunshine and a few clouds. Her dad had to sit down and have a tough conversation with his sister, and denial followed. Alaska Dispatch: What can someone reading about this do in their own life, or change about their own perspective, to make coming forward easier for victims? I wish I could say that Erins story is uncommon, but that is far from the truth its happening right here in our own backyard, Bucco said. 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