Safe Harbor’s Children’s Advocacy Center had one clear goal when presenting to ninth grade students of Glynn Academy. That mission was to help students understand what constitutes inappropriate touching and relationships through personal body safety lessons and giving victims the resources to come forward and report their abuse safely. By the overwhelming positive response, the mission was achieved.
On May 8th, 2018, Gov. Nathan Deal signed SB 401 into law, based on model legislation commonly referred to as “Erin’s Law,” making Georgia the 35th state to require all public schools to implement age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education for students in grades K-9.
“Erin’s Law” requires that all public schools in the state of Georgia to implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program which teaches:
STUDENTS in grades PreK – 12th grade, age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult
SCHOOL PERSONNEL all about child sexual abuse
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral, or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families
“Schools are in a unique position to help young people shape positive healthy behaviors, reducing their vulnerability to being sexually abused or assaulted,” says Andrea Belton, Safe Harbor’s Children Advocacy Center director. “We are already working to train adults in school systems and youth-serving organizations across the Brunswick Judicial Circuit on how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse and assault. Most adults don’t realize how prevalent an issue this is. Research conducted by the CDC estimates that about 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before age 18.”
