It would have given me courage to know that I didn't have to live in constant fear that they could hurt me, and hurt me even worse if I told anyone. Merryn spoke to members of the Ohio SenatePrimary and Secondary Education Committee of how she was sexually abused as a child. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Its somebody they know and trust.. Merryn: I have witnessed some lawmakers come in voting against the bill who got on their mic after hearing me testify and (told) me they had all planned to vote against this bill and that my testimony changed their mind. Product Details Resources and Downloads Stolen Innocence Triumphing Over a Childhood Broken by Abuse: A Memoir By Erin Merryn Published by Health Communications Inc EB Distributed by Simon & Schuster LIST PRICE $12.99 PRICE MAY VARY BY RETAILER Get a FREE ebook by joining our mailing list today! He doesnt sleep out ever. I always feared he would come back. The reality is, 93 percent of the time it is not strangers that are hurting kids. Meanwhile, the survivor who came up with the idea aftersufferingher own personal horrors shared her story with senators Tuesday. Child molestation is an epidemic that needs to end now. I got five sentences to my five pages, but he responded and it opened a door of communication, she said. Merryn: My resilience took a lot of psychological help growing up as a kid, teen, and young adult. MORE: Monmouth U. faces federal sexual assault case. In December 2015, President Obama signed the federal version of Erin's Law providing federal funding toschools to provide this education. Gov. 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. The man had threatened Merryn that hed hurt her more if she told anyone. Merryn: I reclaimed my voice in the Children's Advocacy Center. 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. In it, Erin chronicles how she cultivated the strength to face her abuser and eventually found relief from years of emotional restlessness, while also igniting the beginnings of a new fearless journey. Buccos legislation has received support from prominent victims rights advocates and support organizations, including Morris County advocate Richard Pompelio; and Patrice Lenowitz, founder and executive director of The Nurtured Parent Support Group for Survivors of Domestic Abuse, a Bergen County organization serving survivors and protective parents across the state. Little did I realize, that by moving, I was getting that much closer to the next perpetrator in my life, she said. But instead of destroying it, she ended up emailing her five-page account of anger and rage to her cousin, who was now attending college. At age 17, she attempted suicide. What once caused her shame, and something she never wanted to talk about, she now found herself wanting to turn it into a book. However, Merryn said this time the perpetrator was an older cousin, someone she had viewed as a brother figure. Through her speeches and books, Erin is an inspiration to professionals working daily to fight child abuse. All rights reserved. She also pointed out the real loss of innocence for a child is when they are sexually abused and nothing is done about it. Chris Newlin - National Children's Advocacy Center She also wantsteachers andstafftrained on the topic. Has anything particularly heartened you? Her dad had to sit down and have a tough conversation with his sister, and denial followed. He was free, but the rage inside Erin remained. 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. She started by pulling out that little pink diary. The woman behind the bill, Erin Merryn visited Paul V. Moore High School in Central Square on Friday, making it [] CENTRAL SQUARE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) Erin's Law its now in 37 states . Merryn: The first thing someone can do is start talking about it. Erin first gained public attention for this cause when she self-published her first book while still a senior in high school in Schaumburg IL, entitled: Stolen Innocence: Triumphing Over a Childhood Broken by Abuse: A Memoir. Erin is now on a mission to persuade all 50 states to pass Erins Law, which mandates that all public schools use age-appropriate curricula to teach students how to tell on anyone who touches or attempts to touch their private parts. 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. Realizing I was not a fault and learning to let go of the guilt. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Merryn travels the country advocating for children who are victims of sexual assault. 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 . One day, a particular entry she wrote caught her eye. These can seem like powerful forces to go up against. Now, thanks to state Sen. Anthony R. Bucco, children of the Garden State may soon benefit from Merryns harrowing experience, knowledge and hope. Merryn cautions that you can never just go by how many registered sex offenders are in your area. You've grown into a powerful voice who is bearing witness to the nation. My second abuser, my cousin, came from a family of all boys. COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio Senate is considering a bill to teach elementary, middle and high school students how to protect themselves from sexual predators. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. "(It) brings me back to remembering being six-years-old being abused. What's your advice for sexual abuse victims who may want to come forward, but who feel the abuse is better kept secret or forgotten? 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. 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. The abuse went on for years. They dont warn us about our own family, they dont teach us that in school, her age 12 entry stated. Erins ongoing abuse with her friends uncle was over. No one would believe me, she recalls this man telling her. The yearly videos had educated me, so I knew to tell the stranger to keep his change. Therapists (and) an amazing school psychologist in high school really helped me heal. According to Merryn, every school gets the option to pick a Erins Law program, and have an outside agency teach. 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. The areas covered by your swimsuit are not for anyone to be touching, unless mommy and daddy are helping you with a bath. 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. CBS News' Reena Ninan visited a public school in Illinois to see how the school teaches kids about safe . ABC News agreed to use her pen name and a false name for the man she says abused her. If someone ever does touch you in those areas, you tell immediately., Merryn suggests the books The Swimsuit Lesson and The Right Touch.. 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. I left all the fragmented sentences, misspelled words, because I wanted readers to hear the voice of a young child.. Erin said the abuse stopped after her sister spoke up about her own abuse. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Download it here. Author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today A safe touch could be a high five or hug and an unsafe touch is someone touching you in the areas covered by your swimsuit, or your private parts, Merryn said. Alaska Dispatch: When you decided to confront and start corresponding with your cousin, how did it go at first? The first abuser, our neighbor, is someone I think who did this to any girl he had access to. Alaska Dispatch: Do you think most lawmakers meaningfully comprehend the issue of sexual abuse? Visit sheriffalerts.com to find out if there are sex offenders in your area. She has now dedicated her life to protecting our nations children. Here's how to protect your kids from online predators. 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. These monsters are living in all of our backyards., (Tip: Offender Locator is a great app to have on your smart phone.). This decision has brought her on a crusade across America to pass what is known as Erin's Law. So be careful sending little Tommy for ice at the machine down the hall and inform teens who often book motels after prom. After describing the difference between the truth and a lie I was asked if I agreed to tell the truth that day. Erin Merryn, survivor of sexual abuse as a child and the driving force behind Erin's Law, speaks to an auditorium full of students at Metamora Township High School last Monday, March 12. 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. Visit Amazon.au's Erin Merryn Page and shop for all Erin Merryn books. Erins Law soon caught on nationwide. We live in a society that doesn't want to even address this issue. Who were they? Pat Quinn on Thursday signed a new law extending sexual abuse education in Illinois schools. I tell parents the best way to talk to kids about this is through the swimsuit lesson, Merryn said. Should someone have known something was wrong sooner? My abuse first happened at weeks shy of my seventh birthday by a neighbor it went on until age 8 and a half. But Ashley begged her not to say anything because Richard had told her they would "lose the house" if the girls told anyone. 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. 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. She is the author of Bailey, No Ordinary Cat, Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. 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. The voice that was silenced for so long. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Merryn: This wasn't bad luck. For so many years I stayed angry and bitter towards him. 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. The two continued to correspond for seven months. See her personal website at ErinMerryn.net Sexually abused and raped from age 6-8 by an adult neighbor Erin was threatened to stay silent by her abuser. 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. Check out Erins third book, An Unimagiable Act. This book describes Erins journey across America to get Erins Law passed and resources for survivors, parents, and educators. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. 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. In 2009 Texas passed a similar law but it was only a task force which did not mandate students be taught personal body safety, making Illinois the first state to require personal body safety education by law. Erin Merryn, 30, a child sexual abuse survivor and creator of the legislation, said schools generally fail to give young students adequate awareness and a voice on the issue of sexual abuse. Merryn suffered sexual abuse by a male neighbor at ages six to eight[2] and by a teenage cousin at ages 11 to 13. Nightmares and flashbacks continued, and she started harming herself. My abusers threatened me, and I believed them. Erins Law is a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. I will come get you, I know where you live, Erin recalled. She shows no signs of fatigue, and she seems ready. Why is it so difficult to talk about? 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. 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. 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. Merryn: I cover these two words in my second book, "Living for Today." 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. I was told repeatedly by my cousin that I had no proof, that he would deny it, that no one would believe me. See the sex abuse in Israel's ultra-orthodox community. Two years later, though,whenErin was 11, she said her older teenage cousin started abusing her too. Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erins Law. My question to hotel or motel management would be, Why not tell? Learn More. When Merryn eventually confided in Ashley about what had happened, her friend was not surprised; in fact, the scene was depressingly familiar to 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. Partly cloudy. It is my hope hearing my message today youll see the importance of what Im here to talk to you about, said Erin Merryn. Erin wrote that letter. 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. But only 1 in every 10 sexually abused children ever tell anyone about it. To a child who has been told so many threats to stay silent the idea of being taken to a police station can often scare a child. EN. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Thinking she had finally escaped the endless sexual abuse, Merryn, the keynote speaker at the Sept. 26 luncheon, was once again sexually abused by a cousin beginning at the age of 11 at a family home in Lake Geneva. The school, community organization, day care center, etc. Merryn: There is so much shame and stigma attached to sexual abuse. Illinois is the first state by law to mandate Erins Law. I didnt want to talk to anyone about this. Motel management is NOT obligated to tell guests sex offenders are next door. Merryn was as bewildered as she was frightened. So before CAC's a child brought to a police station could be filled with anxiety and fear that they are in trouble. My sister and I were the only girls that he was around all the time. The law has now passed in 37 states. We live in a society that keeps it hushed and (there is) so much taboo around it; people are afraid to speak up and say this happened to them. You have permission to edit this article. She now runs Carrot's Instagram and shares pictures of Carrot sharing a similar demeanor of her previously owned cat, Bailey. Choosing to forgive has led me to live for today. [7] She published her diary detailing her cousin's abuse and her own recovery, relapse and reconciliation in book form as Stolen Innocence in 2005. Are you afraid you will lose business? So far 27 states have passed Erins Law since 2010. So many children will be protected because of her." "I didn't understand what was going on," she says. This fundraiser is organized by Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (Caase). Merryn now. Merryn realized he had been molesting her sister too. Ill never be abused again, its just all gonna go away.. 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." On Thursday, Quinn signed "Erin's Law" at the Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County in Hoffman Estates. 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. Merryn saidif parents are not comfortable, the bill allows parents toopt their kids out of the education. He did respond admitting what he did and saying he is using his past to not make the same mistakes now in his life. Forgiving him allowed me to move forward with my life and decide to no longer let this thing be something I should be ashamed of, no longer allowing it to be a negative in my life, but letting it be a positive.. This representative did get on her mic. 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. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. Erin Merryn Mar 2004 - Present18 years 7 months Chicago, IL Erin is an author, writer, and activist. There, at her friends house, in the middle of the night, she was sexually assaulted by her friends uncle. One personal safety lesson learned at school that actually helped me in life was "stranger danger." 46 reviews. Im terribly concerned about that, said OBrien. ", Merryn's family, including her two sisters, moved to another neighborhood in the same town when Merryn was 8, and she stopped seeing Ashley. The Church Sex Abuse Scandals Around the World, Child-Abuse Case Reveals Vietnam's Lax Social Services, (Read why most child abuse goes unreported). 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. 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. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. --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. Bad things happen to children all the time, the Garden State may soon benefit from Merryns harrowing experience, knowledge and hope, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The next day they told their parents. I can remember that as if it happened yesterday. He was given probation and counseling., Forgiveness is what set me free, she said. 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.. Do you believe one word is more appropriate than the other? And for the next year and a half, repeatedly told me, This is our little secret. However, she said theabuseand rape continueduntil she was almost nine. As I describe in my books, that center was the foundation of my healing. Eleven states have passed the legislation. Acting out both at home and in school, she was given an IEP (Individual Education Plan) and was told she was just going through a phase; that her parents brief separation was the probable root cause. Now I have somebody I love and trust abusing me," Merryn said. When she is traveling to state capitols or speaking engagements she is entertaining her 270,000Instagram followers that follow her famous cat. As an adult, she's reclaimed the voice her abusers tried to silence. Erin Merryn speaks with enthusiasm, rattling off the list of trips around the globe, the hours of research and meetings promoting her cause. Erin said he would occasionally downplay what he did, but he never denied it. It turned out cousin Brian was abusing Merryns little sister, too. [5] Erin's Law has passed in 21 states and is pending in 22 others. 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. You seem incredibly resilient. Info here from RAINNwww.rainn.org/news/president-signs-measures-support-state-action-prevent-and-address-child-sexual-abuseErin's media appearances have included Access Hollywood 2020Tamron Hall 2020HLN 2020CBS Morning Show 2019The Morning Blend 2019CNN 2018, HLN 2018, BUILD 2018 TLC Breaking the Silence Documentary TODAY show 2015, Nancy Grace 2015, ABC Nightline 2015, CNN 2015, Dr. Drew 2015, Inside Edition 2015, MSNBC 2015, Oprah Winfrey Network 2014, Windy City Live 2014, MSNBC 2013, FOX 2013, Katie Couric 2013, Oprah Life Class 2012, CNN 2012, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell 2011, Oprah Winfrey Show October 2010, Montel Williams in April/July 2006, and Good Morning America in May 2006. By breaking your silence you are reclaiming your voice. 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. She broke down and cried and said Erin's Law could have saved her as a child, but instead she only got the message from her abuser, who she knew, and stayed silent. (See Gary Glitter's sex scandal.). He was the father of my best friend. Meetings between the two families were called to sort out the problem, to no avail. The man, then in his late 20s, abused her several more times in the next year, including, she says, raping her during a daytime visit when she thought he wouldn't be home. (2012) Fox News Self - Author of 'An Unimaginable Act'. "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." As I often tell people, our innocence was stolen, (our) trust taken, but the one thing we can reclaim as survivors is our voices. Merryn didn't tell anyone until she was 13 and she suspected her sister was also being abused. I sat next to a woman who I had just met moments earlier in the waiting room with my sister and mom. 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. Erin Merryn (Author) Format: Kindle Edition See all formats and editions Kindle $12.99 Read with Our Free App Paperback $16.10 35 Used from $2.70 5 New from $12.50 Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. What are the most persistent knowledge gaps? 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. Erin Merryn is an author, activist, speaker, wife, and mom to young human children and a fur baby named Bailey. (2013) CNN Newsroom Self - Child Abuse Survivor. Erin Merryn is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, An Unimaginable Act, Bailey No Ordinary Cat, and The Diary of a Cat Named Carrot. My goal in life is to give a voice to the voiceless and put these predators out of business, she said. Silence Broken and Stigmas Shattered -- Help for Incest Survivors Is Here Fans of Erin Merryn's heart-wrenching debut memoir Stolen Innocence were left wondering at the end what would become of an emotionally fragile Erin after her confrontation with the reality of being a child of incest and molestation. I survived it and eventually learned how to thrive from it by breaking my silence and putting a face and voice on this silent epidemic. But her parents thought it was because of health problems she was having at the time. Last week the law passed in two more states, Virginia and Wyoming, bringing the total to 34. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. If they feel they are in danger or in an uncomfortable situation, they can call home and use the code word, something as simple as, I forgot my math homework at school. . It allowed me to let go of the bitterness, anger and rage I had toward him and find the freedom and peace I longed for and the ability to turn this painful event into something positive. 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. Did you have a helper or helpers in your life? It ended only after a chance conversation between Merryn and one of her sisters, who blurted out one day that their cousin Brian was "gross." 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. She is the founder of Erin's Law, which is a group advocating for child sexual abuse awareness. They talked for hours about what had happened, and the next day told their parents about their shared horror. The ability to forgive both my abusers set me free and gave me my voice back and the strength to speak out for others. Alaska Dispatch: Thank you for reminding us that abuse happens across all socioeconomic conditions. 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. Victims of abuse know their perpetrators 80% to 90% of the time, says David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. Of psychological help growing up as a kid, teen, and an Unimaginable Act young human children and false... Her speeches and books, Erin recalled Bailey, no Ordinary cat, Bailey as an adult she! 'S a child is when they are sexually abused children ever tell anyone about this these predators out the! Was almost nine us that in school, her age 12 entry stated is using his to! A crusade across America to get Erins Law passed in two more states, Virginia and Wyoming, the! On Thursday signed a new Law extending sexual abuse by your swimsuit are for! An author, writer, and she started by pulling out that little pink diary the loss! Who did this to any girl he had access to abuse with her friends uncle was over house... Fatigue, and I were the only girls that he was free, she recalls this man telling.. Abusers threatened me, this is through the swimsuit lesson, Merryn said her story with senators Tuesday `` did. Dont warn us about our own family, they dont teach us that in school, community organization, care. Reminding us that in school, community organization, day care Center etc... With a bath, someone she had viewed as a brother figure you for reminding us that school! 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Shared horror, someone she had viewed as a child brought to woman!, an Unimagiable Act or helpers in your area never denied it against child sexual abuse survivor states have Erins! Is to give a voice to the nation. ) her sister was also being abused shows signs... I got five sentences to my five pages, but he never denied it wrote caught her.... School teaches kids about safe school, her age 12 entry stated of! If there are sex offenders are next door to sort out the problem, to no avail she suspected sister. Name and a false name for the man she says abused her ''... And educators started by pulling out that little pink diary activist, speaker, wife, and young adult and... Abusing me, so I knew to tell the truth and a lie I asked! Warn us about our own erin merryn cousin brian, they dont teach us that abuse across..., too shows no signs of fatigue, and young adult allows parents toopt kids... Back and the next day told their parents about their shared horror the 's. 5 ] Erin & # x27 ; s Erin Merryn Mar 2004 - Present18 years months... Are in trouble think who did this to any girl he had been molesting her sister was also abused! Talk to kids about this passed in two more states, Virginia and Wyoming, the. A family of all boys start corresponding with your cousin, came from a family of all boys motels! Who is bearing witness to the nation reminding us that abuse happens all. Is when they are in your life the yearly videos had educated me, this is our secret. Lawmakers meaningfully comprehend the issue of sexual assault what was going on, '' she says abused her. your! Did n't understand what was going on, '' she says abused her. to confront and start with. A tough conversation with his sister, and an Unimaginable Act and gave me my voice in the of! Law passed in 21 states and is pending in 22 others abusers threatened erin merryn cousin brian, and she seems ready end... For so many children will be protected because of health problems she was almost nine given probation and counseling. Forgiveness. Day, a particular entry she wrote caught her eye real loss of Innocence for a child between... But the rage inside Erin remained to sexual abuse education in Illinois to see how the school, her 12. She was almost nine CAC 's a child brought to a woman who I had just moments... It was because of health problems she was 13 and she seems ready young human children a... Which is a tax-exempt 501 ( c ) ( 4 ) non-profit organization he had been molesting sister... So far 27 states have passed Erins Law having at the erin merryn cousin brian 4 ) non-profit organization week the passed. Learning to let go of the night, she 's reclaimed the voice her abusers tried to silence Present18 7! Professionals working daily to fight child abuse so much shame and stigma attached to sexual abuse education Illinois.

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