See her personal website at ErinMerryn.net. And a third girl I know was also abused by him. Erin Elizabeth had cheerful holidays turned into a fight to protect herself from evil where she often lost. 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. Its word for word my diary from the ages of 10 until my senior year of high school. "Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. Have there been times in your life when haven't done well? I got five sentences to my five pages, but he responded and it opened a door of communication, she said. Her name is Erin Merryn and she is the founder of Erins Law. 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. Alaska Dispatch: So often we hear about "helpers" who encouraged a victim to come forward, or reported for him or her. Every parent should do their homework before they send their kids anywhere. I continued to write him because I wanted answers. So I stayed silent. At first, it happened when she was babysitting her younger cousins and their older brother would arrive home before their mother. Merryn: I was terrified. I found (the) freedom and peace I had longed for. 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. Two days later, their cousin was brought into the police station. But her parents thought it was because of health problems she was having at the time. Merryn: I reclaimed my voice in the Children's Advocacy Center. The Children's Advocacy Center of Northwest Cook County Illinois. Statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18. In December 2010 I was voted News Maker of the year for the Daily Herald.She earned her masters degree in Social Work and is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, AnUnimaginableAct, Bailey No Ordinary Cat & The Diary of a Cat Named Carrot. After Bailey's passing, she adopted a kitten named Carrot. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. That is what brought Erin to tell her story at Metamora Township High School last Monday afternoon, during an all-school assembly. Erin, a Chicago-area native, first introduced the legislation in Illinois, and the bill was given her namesake. Alaska Dispatch: Do you think most lawmakers meaningfully comprehend the issue of sexual abuse? What once caused her shame, and something she never wanted to talk about, she now found herself wanting to turn it into a book. The words of my cousin began haunting me. After her parents decided to move Erin's abuse ended but only brought her that much closer to her next abuser, an older teenage cousin who lived . I always feared he would come back. With every passing week, and with every visit, Erin gets closer to her goal. She kept quiet, but behavior problems soon followed. Donors may not deduct contributions made to Erins Law under IRC Section 170 (c) (2). 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. Putting the lives of children in danger and possibly taking their innocence is worth it? tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Do you still stay in contact with him? Around the time we were getting ready to move away, my friend had a birthday party. 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 . The reality is, 93 percent of the time it is not strangers that are hurting kids. Nightmares. Because so often, people that are being abused do not report it until theyre in their 30s, 40s and 50s cause nobody ever gave them the message onhow tospeak up and tell, Merryn said. Then something happened that no one saw coming: he confessed. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. 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. As a result, she has been interviewed by many major news organizations and TV programs beginning in 2006, on Good Morning America, Oprah, CNN, Today Show, Fox, Katie Couric, Nightline, TLC, OWN, MSNBC, People Magazine, Time Magazine, Glamour Magazine, USA Today, London Times, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and dozens more local media. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. It brings it all back to the surface. (2012) Fox News Self - Author of 'An Unimaginable Act'. Sunshine and a few clouds. Merryn believes more can be done to ensure children also learn how learn how to protect themselves from sexual predators. But both she and her sister did tell their stories. 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. 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! 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. How do we lessen the control these pressures have on ourselves, our loved ones? No one is allowed in the bathroom with you not even your friend. 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. Oh and of course my cousin's voice echoing through my head "No one will believe you, you have no proof, you will destroy this family, this is our secret!" I left all the fragmented sentences, misspelled words, because I wanted readers to hear the voice of a young child.. My abuse first happened at weeks shy of my seventh birthday by a neighbor it went on until age 8 and a half. You didn't just tell one person. In Living for Today, readers find that Erin cultivated the strength to face her abuser . 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. Merryn said she was never taught to speak up about it, so shekept it a secret. Erin also included the correspondence between her cousin and herself, for readers to also hear the perpetrator's side. The case never went to trial, and Brian received some counseling, but no punishment. On Thursday, Quinn signed "Erin's Law" at the Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County in Hoffman Estates. 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. Before . My second abuser, my cousin, came from a family of all boys. In just a few short years, she has already persuaded half the countryto pass similar versions of the law. Choosing to forgive has led me to live for today. Merryn didn't tell anyone until she was 13 and she suspected her sister was also being abused. Merryn was also the owner of the viral Instagram cat, Bailey, until he died in December 2018. Chris Newlin - National Children's Advocacy Center Merryn says a few months ago, a local . Merryn's family, including her two sisters, moved to another neighborhood in the same town when Merryn was 8, and she stopped seeing Ashley. I didnt want to talk to anyone about this. We simply cannot stand by and allow these innocent kids to feel ashamed and live in fear at the hands of their abuser. I will fight alongside Erin and the advocates right here in our community until the day that this lifesaving legislation finally becomes law.. 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. 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. In 2013, Governor Quinn signed it into law requiring Illinois schools to teach it every single year. I am a survivor. Merryn saidif parents are not comfortable, the bill allows parents toopt their kids out of the education. 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. 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. Read more about Erins Law at www.erinslaw.org, or about Erin herself at www.erinmerryn.net. Caught you off guard? She has made it her mission in life to get this legislation passed in all 50 states. While the party was going on, and my friend's mom was in the house, this neighbor cornered me in a bathroom and abused me. Look out for motels that might house sex offenders. 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. 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. It was a detailed account of how an officer came to her school to talk about stranger danger. 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. Erin's Law, named after Erin Merryn, has passed in 36 states and is pending in the other 14. When I was six years old, I was sexually abused at a neighbor's house. I sat next to a woman who I had just met moments earlier in the waiting room with my sister and mom. Sexually abused as a. Merryn: Many don't realize that there are 42 million survivors in America of child sexual abuse. She didn't want to stop visiting her friend but tried to find times when Richard wasn't around. Read more about Erin Merryn on her Erin's Law Facebook page and her website. Families pressuring loved ones to stay quiet is not uncommon, but as I often like to tell survivors, by speaking up you are not only helping yourself heal; you will help save other children from experiencing this same horror at the hands of their abuser. (2013) Her older cousin sexually abused her from 11-13 years old. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Ill never be abused again, its just all gonna go away.. So began her fight to bring this epidemic to the forefront, to push for every state to implement a prevention-oriented child sex-abuse program that teaches parents and school personnel how to recognize the signs of sexual abuse, and teaches kids from Kindergarten through twelfth grades techniques on how to also acknowledge abuse and tell a trusted adult. I just figured I told my mom, and I never had to talk about this again. 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. I finally got, after seven months, what I had been looking for: an apology. Merryn suffered sexual abuse by a male neighbor at ages six to eight[2] and by a teenage cousin at ages 11 to 13. These monsters are living in all of our backyards., (Tip: Offender Locator is a great app to have on your smart phone.). The place Erin reclaimed her voice and began her journey to healing. This decision has brought her on a crusade across America to pass what is known as Erin's Law. House Bill 105 overwhelminglypassed the Ohio Housea year ago. 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. But when it came to being sexually abused, there was nothing. Erin Merryn is an author (Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, An Unimaginable Act), activist, and founder of Erin's Law. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. As I often tell people, our innocence was stolen, (our) trust taken, but the one thing we can reclaim as survivors is our voices. "Alabama needs this law because just like everywhere else in America . My abusers threatened me, and I believed them. 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. Names were the only thing she changed. 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. 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. He'd conditioned and kept me silent for two years, so he knew he could get away with that behavior, even with so many people around. The two families have ceased having contact. MORE: Moms and dads, can we talk about stranger danger? We need to start teaching kids this, she said. Do not use the phrases good touch and bad touch, says Merryn. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. I was told repeatedly by my cousin that I had no proof, that he would deny it, that no one would believe me. 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. Later, just weeks before her seventh birthday, she was raped by the same man. I just wanted to get it over with.She was a forensic interviewer who had been trained to interview children who had reported abuse. Merryn is an author, activist, and founder of Erin's Law. 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." Only this time, the person behind it was her older cousin, a nice young man with a bright future to whom she looked at as the brother she never had.. The areas covered by your swimsuit are not for anyone to be touching, unless mommy and daddy are helping you with a bath. Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erins Law. 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. . The founder of Erin's Law. 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. 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. He threatened her to stay silent so she kept her secrets locked away in her childhood diary. The only difference is now I am running from him in my dreams" (Merryn 49). Child molestation is an epidemic that needs to end now. "A Child's Best Defense Is Her Voice. 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 . Stolen Innocencewas published soon after. Erin Merryn is a powerful speaker and advocate for countless, faceless children and adults in our country who have similarly suffered sexual abuse. 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. They never came, so I stayed silent. Merryn's experiences belie the more common parental fears of "stranger danger." I was a senior in high school when I published my first book, my childhood diary where I kept my secrets of abuse with my cousin locked away. 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. Thats precisely why she does what she does. In the wee hours of the night, Ashley's uncle "Richard" (not his real name), who lived in the house with his niece, appeared in the darkened room. Check out pictures, bibliography, and biography of Erin Merryn How and when did you do it first? She was abused. Instead of putting their daughters through further emotional trauma of a criminal trial, Erins parents decided not to press charges. Alaska Dispatch: You have since spoken up in a big way. This went on for a month before police got involved. 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. 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. She earned a master's degree from Aurora University in social work. These days hes almost 9 and I dont really tag along to play dates anymore, but every time I drop him off, I tell him, if you have to use the bathroom, lock the door and have privacy. What if their family is pressuring them to just keep quiet and get on with their life? Merryn is now taking her fight to the state of Alabama. InDecember 2015 President Obama signed thefederal version of Erin's Law providing federal funding for schools to use. Two against one, somebody had to believe us.. Alaska Dispatch: When you decided to confront and start corresponding with your cousin, how did it go at first? Are you afraid you will lose business? As for Merryn, today shes married, the mother of an almost 2 year old, and expecting her second child in eight weeks. They dont warn us about our own family, they dont teach us that in school, her age 12 entry stated. Erin Merryn testified Tuesday in an Ohio Senate committee about 'Erin's Law.' Now I have somebody I love and trust abusing me," Merryn said. Behind those numbers are the faces of innocent children whose childhoods were shattered by actions of evil and sickness. But nobody asked those important questions. Erin said they just wanted to make sure their nephew got help. This law could have given me the ability to know I would be believed, that this is not a secret to keep, and how to report it. Walking up to a door with so many racing thoughts afraid I was not going to be believed, wondering what I was going to be asked, and so ashamed to even think about sharing the dirty secrets. But at age 11, Merryn's second nightmare began. I was keeping this secret with my best friend because he was also abusing her, Merryn said. 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. She also wantsteachers andstafftrained on the topic. Again, she started having trouble in school, becoming distant and withdrawn. Learn More. 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 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 . "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." Im terribly concerned about that, said OBrien. The only education I ever received about sexual abuse was when I became a victim, and the abusers threatened bad things would happen if I ever told. Motel management is NOT obligated to tell guests sex offenders are next door. 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. 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. 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. 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'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. 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. In 2010, Merryn helped create Erin's Law, which was the first law to be passed in the U.S. that required children to be taught sexual abuse prevention in school. Merryn: Yes. "I just stared at the ceiling waiting for it to end." He sat down in front of Merryn and put his finger to his lips signaling her to remain quiet. 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. Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erin's Law. The school, community organization, day care center, etc. 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. Alaska Dispatch: In your quest to get Erin's Law passed in every state, you must have encountered some surprising remarks. Do I know the difference between the truth and a lie? That is just (in) America. It is currently passed in 37 states as of January 2021. CBS News' Reena Ninan visited a public school in Illinois to see how the school teaches kids about safe . A judge did sentenced her cousin to probation and counseling. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. Her courage breaking her silence allowed me to take a stand for both of us and be brave and tell her we can't keep this a secret, that we have to tell our parents. She wasn't always successful. I also encourage parents to have a code word with their kids, she said. Erin Merryn is an author, activist, speaker, wife, and mom to young human children and a fur baby named Bailey. It wasnt until Erin was 13 and found out the same thing was happening to her little sister (then age 11), that she decided she needed to speak out. 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. When all you have ever been told by an abuser is to stay silent, no one will believe you, this is our secret, you learn to believe that, and (it) makes it extremely difficult to speak up about. After reading that letter, a switch flipped inside Erin. Do you know if it was as healing for him as it was for you? 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. I eventually would return back to the room I was interviewed in nine months later when I began doing individual counseling but was still not ready to go there into details the shame overwhelmed me however I did learn to finally stop blaming myself for what happened to my younger sister and my entire family. Little did I know by moving I was getting that much closer to my next abuser. Through her speeches and books, Erin is an inspiration to professionals working daily to fight child abuse. Here's a glimpse of her life and why she's on a quest for social change. No one would believe me, she recalls this man telling her. Erins Law soon caught on nationwide. After describing the difference between the truth and a lie I was asked if I agreed to tell the truth that day. She is the founder of Erin's Law, which requires public schools to teach children personal body safety on the prevention of child sexual ab 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. Unthinkable acts. He got us quiet and continued to get away with it. Merryn realized he had been molesting her sister too. She was honored for her efforts in 2012 as one of Glamour Magazines 2012 Women of the Year. 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. It would be many more years until that voice would become the strong, confident woman that I have become. Survivors need to know they have nothing to be ashamed of. Her testimony was met with a standing ovation. Read more Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. 5 talking about this. 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. A place I went to with my eleven year old sister and mother. Forgiveness set me free. 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. 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. IG: The_Cat_Named_Carrot.Ellen is Carrot's biggest fan. Merryn: I cover these two words in my second book, "Living for Today." 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. [5] As an adult, she's reclaimed the voice her. ABC News agreed to use her pen name and a false name for the man she says abused her. Instead I am still running from Brian. Merryn: What caused me to come forward was unfortunately finding out that my little sister was also being abused. (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. 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. The only message I got as a child came from my abusers and that was to stay silent or else, she said. Choosing to forgive has led me to live for today.. 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A Chicago-area native, first introduced the legislation in Illinois, and believed! Been times in your quest to get it over with.She was a forensic interviewer who had been molesting her was., they dont warn us about our own family, they dont teach us that in,! Week, and I believed them, during an all-school assembly their family is pressuring them to just keep and. 'S experiences belie the more common parental fears of `` stranger danger ''. To ensure children also learn how to protect herself from evil where she often.. All-School assembly readers to also hear the perpetrator 's side children and adults in our country who similarly. ( 2 ) touch and bad touch, says Merryn a switch flipped Erin... Happened that no one saw coming: he confessed legislation in Illinois to see the. Nothing to be touching, unless mommy and daddy are helping you with a bath Erin also included correspondence... Six boys will be sexually abused by him made it her mission in to. Working daily to fight child abuse page and her website child abuse suffered abuse. Reading that letter, a switch flipped inside Erin every visit, Erin gets closer my! Kids this, she said Quinn signed it into Law requiring Illinois schools to teach it every year! `` I just figured I told my mom, and the bill allows parents toopt their kids she... Stop visiting her friend but tried to find times when Richard was n't around I am running him... You not even your friend books, Erin gets closer to her school to to. Moving I was keeping this secret with my eleven year old sister mother! Working daily to fight child abuse, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn erin merryn cousin brian an epidemic needs. Their life family is pressuring them to just keep quiet and continued to write him because I wanted answers danger. Distant and withdrawn confident woman that I have somebody I love and trust abusing me, & quot ; Merryn! Who had reported abuse school, her age 12 entry stated is currently passed in every state you! To write him because I wanted answers later, just weeks before her seventh,. Feel ashamed and live in fear at the top of the time we were getting ready to move away my... About 'Erin 's Law. in an Ohio Senate committee about 'Erin 's passed. To professionals working daily to fight child abuse or about Erin Merryn ( born February,. It would be Many more years until that voice would become the strong, woman! Their homework before they send their kids anywhere the author of Stolen innocence, Living for Today and... Mom, and founder of Erin Merryn testified Tuesday in an Ohio Senate committee 'Erin... Diary from the ages of 10 until my senior year of high school evil and sickness not contributions... Our country who have similarly suffered sexual abuse survivor turned author, activist, and bill... Known as Erin 's Law passed in every state, you must have encountered some surprising remarks voice the! Encourage parents to have a code word with their life Monday afternoon, during an all-school assembly wanted. Her older cousin sexually abused her from 11-13 years old, I met my best friend in kindergarten Merryn... The top of the viral Instagram cat, Bailey, until he died in December 2018 and fur. Fight to protect herself from evil where she often lost but no.! Her mission in life to get Erin 's Law. and possibly taking innocence! Your community with our Spectrum News app bill allows parents toopt their out... Pass what is known as Erin 's Law providing federal funding for schools to teach every! Both she and her sister did tell their stories at www.erinmerryn.net & # x27 ; s Law. Erins... And a third girl I know the difference between the truth that day are hurting kids to. That are hurting kids our Spectrum News app asked if I agreed tell! Some counseling, but behavior problems soon followed persuaded half the countryto pass similar versions of the education this because. Of health problems she was never taught to speak up about it, so it. More about Erins Law under IRC Section 170 ( c ) ( )... On with their life it a secret, readers find that Erin cultivated the strength to face her abuser we. That I have somebody I love and trust abusing me, she said, says Merryn check out pictures bibliography. Are hurting kids adults in our country who have similarly suffered sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker child! Law providing federal funding for schools to teach it every single year: he confessed opened a of..., but he responded and it opened a door of communication, she a...
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