LANSING, Mich. — Governor Rick Snyder recently signed Erin’s Law to increase protection against sexual abuse of children.
Erin’s Law allows schools to implement a program to educate students, parents and staff about the warning signs of sexual abuse. With the law, resources would be available for parents and staff as well as counseling for children affected by sexual abuse. In addition, the law allows for the creation of a one-time task force to give recommendations on how schools can best handle sexual abuse education.
“Everyone involved in a school – staff, students and parents – needs to recognize the warning signs of sexual abuse,” Snyder said in a news release, “we educate our children on how to say no to drugs, how to stay safe in a fire or tornado and how to avoid strangers. Unfortunately, sexual abuse is a reality for some children, and we need to provide age-appropriate education to encourage them to speak up and end the abuse.”
The law is named after Erin Merryn, a survivor of sexual abuse.
