New York State Assembly Stalls Passage of Life-Savin​g Erin’s Law

NEW YORK - June 7, 2013 - PRLog -- A Call to Action: New York State Assembly Stalls

Passage of Life-Saving Erin’s Law (http://www.erinslaw.org/)

“Every day that passes without the New York State Assembly voting on Erin’s Law (http://www.erinslaw.org/), another child goes without a voice and is forced to live in silence.” –Erin Merryn

New York, NY– Childhelp (http://www.childhelp.org/) and Erin Merryn are making a major push in the final weeks of New York State’s legislative session to earn final passage of Erin’s Law (http://www.erinslaw.org/). Erin’s Law, which has already passed the State Senate, would require all New York public schools to teach students about how to prevent and stop childhood sexual abuse. Supporters of Erin’s Law are urging the New York State Assembly to allow a vote—and to pass—Erin’s Law, bill number A.661A. This bill has already passed the State Senate.

Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) is working with Erin Merryn and advocates from around the country to pass Erin’s Law this year. By doing so, Senator Klein and Erin Merryn know that they can prevent the thousands of childhood sexual abuse cases that occur in New York State each year.

Seven states have already passed Erin’s Law, including Arkansas, Illinois, Maine, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi and Missouri. Despite the overwhelming passage of Erin’s Law in the NY State Senate each of the last two years, the NY State Assembly has so far failed to bring this measure up for a vote. With only two weeks left in the legislative session, Erin, as well as celebrities nationwide, is calling on the Assembly to act now and to pass Erin’s Law.  

Senate Co-Leader and bill co- sponsor Jeff Klein said, “For too many of these young victims, the only information they receive about sexual abuse is from their own abusers,” Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein said. “We want children to know that there is help available and that there are adults who they can go to and help end their nightmare.  I thank Erin for the strength and the tenacity she has shown in her pursuit to make sure that no more children have to endure the same tragedy she experienced.” Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein

Assembly Sponsor Jeff Dinowitz said, “This is a very simple, common sense piece of legislation that could have a positive impact on many young New Yorkers. A little education can go a long way, I applaud Erin Merryn for having the courage to speak out and to be a leader on this important issue. I am going to continue to work to help make this bill a law this legislative session.”

Julianna Margulies, Actress said, “Erin’s Law will give children a fighting chance, a voice, and the tools to help protect themselves. It should be passed in all 50 states. Common Sense. It’s as simple as that.”  

Erin Merryn suffered sexual abuse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_abuse) at the hands of a male neighbor at ages six to eight and from a teenage cousin at ages 11 to 13. Erin told her parents about the abuse from her cousin only after her sister confided in her that she had also been abused by the same relative. The family pressed charges, and the cousin eventually confessed to three counts of child sexual abuse.

Merryn has since become a crusader for sexual-abuse victims, and actively encourages others to speak out about their own survival. She published her diary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diary) detailing her cousin's abuse and her own recovery, relapse and reconciliation in book form as Stolen Innocence in 2005 In November 2009, she published a second book, Living For Today, discussing earlier abuse by her neighbor. Beginning in 2010, she launched a campaign to pass Erin’s Law, legislation requiring that all schools make sexual abuse prevention a part of their curriculum. Since that time, seven states have adopted Erin’s Law.

This fall, Erin will be introduce Childhelp’s Speak Up Be Safe (http://www.speakupbesafe.org/) curriculum and help make it the primary child abuse prevention education program in the United States.  Childhelp (http://www.childhelp.org/), has taken on the nation’s leading awareness and crusade to Capitol Hill to shatter the silence and offer alternatives, such as Childhelp’s Speak Up Be SafeTM (http://www.childhelp.org/programs/entry/speak-up-be-safe/) (SUBS) curriculum for grades 1 through 6. It will equip children with skills to arm themselves from abuse in its various forms as well is via technology like “sexting,” internet predators and cyberbullying.

Since 1959, Childhelp (http://www.childhelp.org/) has brought the light of hope and healing into the lives of countless children as a leading national non-profit organization dedicated to helping at-risk children. Childhelp's programs and services include residential treatment services, children's advocacy centers, therapeutic foster care, group homes and child abuse prevention, education and training. Childhelp (http://www.childhelp.org/) created the Childhelp National Day of Hope®, held each April during National Child Abuse Prevention Month that mobilizes Americans to join the fight against child abuse.

For more information please visit childhelp.org. To schedule an interview with Erin Merryn, please contact Eden Gordon at 202-714-6014 or edengordon@edengordonmedia.com