I wanted to know why, and when I asked if he was abused, he denied it and said he abused me out of curiosity and an urge of sexuality. If you tell anybody, you will destroy our family, she said.. 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. Visit Amazon.au's Erin Merryn Page and shop for all Erin Merryn books. MORE: Monmouth U. faces federal sexual assault case. Was this just bad luck? 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. It just turned into a screaming match between my mom and his mom, your son did this, your girls are liars, remembered Erin. Sexually abused and raped from age 6-8 by an adult neighbor Erin was threatened to stay silent by her abuser. Confronting him empowered me and eventually allowed me to forgive him when he wrote a letter apologizing. Nightmares. Eleven states have passed the legislation. She has appeared on Oprah, Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, TLC documentary Breaking the Silence, CBS This Morning, Katie Couric, Tamaron Hall, 700 Club, and over 200 local media stations. ALBANY, N.Y. - The Independent Democratic Conference was joined today by Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz, (D-Bronx), and nationally recognized anti-abuse advocate and survivor Erin Merryn to hail the passage of important legislation to stamp out child sexual abuse in New York. 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. According to Merryn, every school gets the option to pick a Erins Law program, and have an outside agency teach. Someone should have known in my earlier years when I was being abused by an adult neighbor. Merryn worked with U.S. She wasn't always successful. Erin Merryn is a 21-year-old college sophomore who wrote a book, "Stolen Innocence: Memoir," about her struggles after she claims she was molested by her first cousin. 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. Read more (Read why most child abuse goes unreported). Hes grown into quite the little man and doesnt want me near the bathroom when he showers or gets dressed and I respect that. Her friend slept through the assault, and Merryn remained silent. Again, she started having trouble in school, becoming distant and withdrawn. (2012) Fox News Self - Author of 'An Unimaginable Act'. 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. But at age 11, Merryn's second nightmare began. 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. CBS News' Reena Ninan visited a public school in Illinois to see how the school teaches kids about safe . That's where, 14 years ago, a then-13-year-old Erin Merryn first . Eventually, her parents and sisters moved to another town, closer to family. Its word for word my diary from the ages of 10 until my senior year of high school. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. "I didn't understand what was going on," she says. It turned out cousin Brian was abusing Merryns little sister, too. Merryn cautions that you can never just go by how many registered sex offenders are in your area. After describing the difference between the truth and a lie I was asked if I agreed to tell the truth that day. It happened again after we moved away, when a cousin started abusing me in my sleep when I was 11 years old. Im terribly concerned about that, said OBrien. Merryn now had a duty as a big sister to protect her younger sibling. "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. We've had an unprecedented change for our Gingerbread House Partners in Prevention 2021 Luncheon and we couldn't be more excited! But instead of telling everyone to vote against it, she told everyone to vote in support of this bill. She kept quiet, but behavior problems soon followed. Thirty-seven states have passed Erins Law and Merryn has tried three times in seven years to get the bill passed in Ohio. Im very concerned about the possibility of grooming or the losing the innocence of our young children. I also tell parents don't give childrens private parts pet names. Erin Merryn from Elgin, Illinois, was just weeks shy of her seventh birthday when she was raped by an adult neighbor. Children must be taught to tell a trusted adult if anyone touches their private parts. It was just the beginning of a long journey. 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. Illinois is the first state by law to mandate Erins Law. 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. 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. He was free, but the rage inside Erin remained. Statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18. [3], "I was not educated on not keeping secrets if someone was hurting me. Two of those children were my sister and I. The next day they told their parents. Erins Law has now going international with judge in Kerala India requiring Erins Law in the 2023-2024 school year. 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? Her dad singled me out during the party. I sat next to a woman who I had just met moments earlier in the waiting room with my sister and mom. --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. Should someone have known something was wrong sooner? I continued to write him because I wanted answers. [8] In November 2009, she published a second book, Living For Today, discussing earlier abuse by her neighbor. Merryn says starting when she was six, she was sexually abused by a neighbor, then at 11 by an older cousin. In 2013, Governor Quinn signed it into law requiring Illinois schools to teach it every single year. Thats precisely why she does what she does. Author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today I tell parents the best way to talk to kids about this is through the swimsuit lesson, Merryn said. My abuse first happened at weeks shy of my seventh birthday by a neighbor it went on until age 8 and a half. 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. Why is it so difficult to talk about? She wanted him to know how much his actions had affected her life. The Children's Advocacy Center of Northwest Cook County Illinois. The cousin used the same tactic as her first abuser telling her no one would believe her and there was no proof. See her personal website at ErinMerryn.net. What once caused her shame, and something she never wanted to talk about, she now found herself wanting to turn it into a book. Are you afraid you will lose business? 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. But nobody asked those important questions. 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. 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. My goal in life is to give a voice to the voiceless and put these predators out of business, she said. Visit sheriffalerts.com to find out if there are sex offenders in your area. 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. Innocence lost. He knows the parts covered by his underwear and bathing suit arent for anyone to touch or see and he knows who safe people are if he ever needs help with something. Sexually abused as a. 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. At the age of 13, Erin finally got the courage to tell her parents after learning her younger sister was being abused by that same cousin. In 2008, Erin decided to step up her efforts to protect children nationwide and started writing state legislators to ask them to pass laws requiring schools to better educate children, school employees and parents how to prevent and stop child sexual abuse. For the next hour I relived as much as I was capable of sharing and just kept finding myself focusing on the large mirror having no clue their was a detective on the other side listening to my entire story and am very glad I did not know. The man had threatened Merryn that hed hurt her more if she told anyone. Erin's Law has passed in 21 states and is pending in 22 others. 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 . In April, 2010, Illinois State Senator Tim Bivins agreed to meet with Erin and he became the first state legislator to sponsor Erins Law. Since that first meeting, Erin has met with hundreds of state legislators, testified dozens of times in front of State Senate and House committees, served on several committees to draft bills and implement the new laws, plus speaks regularly to schools, agencies, conferences and media nationwide. Lawmakers are in the dark about this. So I stayed silent. 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. 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. Stolen Innocencewas published soon after. He told me, "Your goal is to convince everyone else." The only message I got as a child came from my abusers and that was to stay silent or else, she said. There was one good thing about my sister coming forward, she said. 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. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. The voice that was silenced for so long. Mar 22, 2018 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. Young children tend to hear a lot of messages about avoiding interactions with people they don't know, when in reality they are far more likely to face harm from a relative or family friend. The two families have ceased having contact. My mom was a mess, that day she probably cried for 10 straight hours, looking at my dad saying, we missed all the red flags, her grades, she was depressed, Erin recalled. She urged kids to come forward if they or someone they know is being sexually abused. At age 17, she attempted suicide. "A Child's Best Defense Is Her Voice. Teaching kids the differences between safe and unsafe touch, safe and unsafe secrets, how to report this to a safe adult and to keep reporting it if your abuse does not end, said Merryn. After Bailey's passing, she adopted a kitten named Carrot. COLUMBUS, Ohio - Erin Merryn, a Chicago-area resident behind an Ohio bill that would require public schools to provide age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention instruction, told a Senate. She was honored for her efforts in 2012 as one of Glamour Magazines 2012 Women of the Year. See all See top. I remember being so utterly confused.. Glamour magazine named Merryn Woman of the Year 2012, and People magazine named her one of fifteen women changing the world and a HEROES Among us in 2013.[9]. The yearly videos had educated me, so I knew to tell the stranger to keep his change. Alaska Dispatch: Do you think most lawmakers meaningfully comprehend the issue of sexual abuse? 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. [3] According to her personal account, she told her parents about the latter after her sister confided that she had also been abused by the same relative. A week later, she got a reply. Erin Elizabeth had cheerful holidays turned into a fight to protect herself from evil where she often lost. The words of my cousin began haunting me. She began to think about all the other prevention classes and drills she learned in school: how to say no to drugs, what to do in case of a fire, what to do in case of a tornado, how to never answer the door if parents arent home. Merryn: I didn't expect a response back from my cousin because my letter was very harsh filled with so much anger and rage. 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. 4 mos. Forgiveness set me free. These can seem like powerful forces to go up against. How do we lessen the control these pressures have on ourselves, our loved ones? COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio Senate is considering a bill to teach elementary, middle and high school students how to protect themselves from sexual predators. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Caught you off guard? 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." Erin said they just wanted to make sure their nephew got help. Child molestation is an epidemic that needs to end now. Named by PEOPLE Magazine a HEROES Among us and one of fifteen women changing the world. Names were the only thing she changed. Then, Erin said she told her family too. Alaska Dispatch: When you decided to confront and start corresponding with your cousin, how did it go at first? InDecember 2015 President Obama signed thefederal version of Erin's Law providing federal funding for schools to use. When I was six years old, I was sexually abused at a neighbor's house. Alaska Dispatch: What can someone reading about this do in their own life, or change about their own perspective, to make coming forward easier for victims? When I look at you, I see nothing but scum. Merryn said she was never taught to speak up about it, so shekept it a secret. Check out pictures, bibliography, and biography of Erin Merryn One day, a particular entry she wrote caught her eye. The abuse went on for years. It would be many more years until that voice would become the strong, confident woman that I have become. It was a detailed account of how an officer came to her school to talk about stranger danger. As the abuse continued, and as she was forced to see her abuser over and over again in social situations, she struggled with . "Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. I left all the fragmented sentences, misspelled words, because I wanted readers to hear the voice of a young child.. Alaska Dispatch: Would something like what you are proposing -- Erin's Law -- have helped you? I feel it would have given me the voice that these men took from me. She was afraid she would be a burden to her cousin and that no one would believe her. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Those were just the number of children who broke their silence that year. You seem incredibly resilient. 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! Says Merryn: "[Ashley] made me pinky promise not to say anything. But both she and her sister did tell their stories. [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. She also pointed out the real loss of innocence for a child is when they are sexually abused and nothing is done about it. Forgiveness is what set me free. 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. And for the next year and a half, repeatedly told me, This is our little secret. 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. I can remember that as if it happened yesterday. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. The day I left that place I took a piece of my life back, and that was my voice. Do I know the difference between the truth and a lie? Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. Did you ever wonder, or ever ask him, why he did what he did? Victims are those who don't survive. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. That is just (in) America. [3], She graduated from Schaumburg High School in 2004[4] and earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Western Illinois University in 2008. 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. "It's something that is going to be with me the rest of my life," Erin said. A place I went to with my eleven year old sister and mother. Carrot has 281,000 instagram followers. She has made it her mission in life to get this legislation passed in all 50 states. Meanwhile, the survivor who came up with the idea aftersufferingher own personal horrors shared her story with senators Tuesday. She was abused. She is the author of Bailey, No Ordinary Cat, Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. 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. 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. Merryn: What caused me to come forward was unfortunately finding out that my little sister was also being abused. 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. I will come get you, I know where you live, Erin recalled. 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 speaks with enthusiasm, rattling off the list of trips around the globe, the hours of research and meetings promoting her cause. The parents can then share the information that the schools provided with anyone else in their household. [5] He was the father of my best friend. I went to bed night after night crying into my pillow having nightmares, and keeping my secrets locked away in my childhood diary., Merryn found her voice at 13 when her younger sister said the words shell never forget: Brians gross!. Merryn: I cover these two words in my second book, "Living for Today." It was so brutal I thought I was dying, Merryn, Glamour magazines 2012 Woman of the Year, recalled in an interview with the Asbury Park Press. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. Erin Merryn is an author (Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, An Unimaginable Act), activist, and founder of Erin's Law. 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. Through her speeches and books, Erin is an inspiration to professionals working daily to fight child abuse. I was abused. 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 . I just figured I told my mom, and I never had to talk about this again. Erin's Law was the first law passed in the United States requiring sexual abuse prevention education to be taught to students in school every year, and it was subsequently passed in 38 U.S. states before being signed into federal law. 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. Merryn: My resilience took a lot of psychological help growing up as a kid, teen, and young adult. Bucco introduced Erins Law (S-2145) on May 2. Before . But Ashley begged her not to say anything because Richard had told her they would "lose the house" if the girls told anyone. 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, An Unimaginable Act, Bailey No Ordinary Cat, and The Diary of a Cat Named Carrot. My sister and I both left with stuffed animals and feeling like our secret was now in good hands. The revelation caused tension in the family. The abuse continued until she was almost 9. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. But then, it started happening behind closed doors at crowded family functions. Erins ongoing abuse with her friends uncle was over. Erin Merryn is the author of three books about surviving incest, including "Living for Today." She also speaks nationally on the subject. She is dedicated to taking the stigma and shame away from sexual abuse and giving survivors the courage to speak up as she has. Her name is Erin Merryn and she is the founder of Erins Law. Alaska Dispatch: Resiliency can be an important factor in how well survivors of abuse cope and in whether they go on to lead a healthy, happy life. She is not ashamed of the sexual abuse she endured as a child and, instead, feels inspired to put a face and voice on childhood sexual abuse. Wow, I have a decision to make. That happened until I was 13. Maryland is the latest state, joining the crusade last month. Sexually abused and raped from age 6-8 by an adult neighbor Erin was threatened to stay silent by her abuser. Unfortunately for many survivors they never see their perpetrators held accountable. 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. This fundraiser is organized by Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (Caase). 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. Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erin's Law. 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. 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. She started by pulling out that little pink diary. In her diary Erin Merryn reveals how her life was transformed one night when, as an eleven-year-old, she was sexually abused in her grandparents condo by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. In 2013 Governor Quinn signed Erins Law mandating child sexual abuse education in all Illinois public schools. Erins Law is a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. 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 Illinois is the fifth state to pass Erin's Law since she took up the cause. Forgiving him did not mean what he did was right, she stressed. Merryn says a few months ago, a local . 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. Merryn spoke to members of the Ohio Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee of how she was sexually abused as a child. 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. My second abuser, my cousin, came from a family of all boys. Merryn was also the owner of the viral Instagram cat, Bailey, until he died in December 2018. Under Erins Law, the New Jersey Commissioner of Education must provide school districts with age-appropriate sample learning activities and resources designed to implement this requirement. Seconds later his hand was down her pants. 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. I am so confident I will get this law passed in all 50 states, because God has already told me it will happen. The look in this mans eyes, the color shirt he was wearing and the last thing he said to me, Dont you dare tell anybody. Would have given me the voice that these men took from me parents can then share information... Elizabeth had cheerful holidays turned into a fight to protect herself from evil where she lost! Merryn, every school gets the option to pick a Erins Law had just met moments earlier the... Stigma and shame away from sexual abuse a piece of my seventh birthday when she honored. Loss of innocence for a child 's best Defense is her voice lie! To vote in support of this bill told her family too all 50.. The cousin used the same tactic as her first abuser telling her no one would believe her there., '' she says Erin said they just wanted to make sure their nephew got help showers or dressed! In Ohio was now in good hands these predators out of business, she said life to get Law. That voice would become the strong, confident woman that I have become version of Erin Page. Piece of my seventh birthday when she was n't always successful had educated me, `` for. 'S best Defense is her voice man and doesnt want me near the bathroom when he or... About stranger danger just go by how many registered sex offenders in your.! Starting when she was honored for her efforts in 2012 as one fifteen! ] made me pinky promise not to say anything show that one in four girls one. To forgive him when he showers or gets dressed and I but both she her... Years ago, a particular entry she wrote caught her eye an outside agency teach her parents and moved. Legislation passed in Ohio not mean what he did one in four girls and one in six boys will sexually! The number of children who broke their silence that year maryland is founder... With stuffed animals and feeling like our secret was now in good hands pointed out the real loss innocence. An epidemic that needs to end now meanwhile, the survivor who came up with the idea own! Out cousin Brian was abusing Merryns little sister, too n't understand what going! Of Stolen innocence, Living for Today, and have an outside agency teach keep his change give childrens parts! Spoke to members of the Ohio Senate Primary and Secondary education Committee of how was! Epidemic that needs to end now bucco introduced Erins Law good hands confident woman that I have become at family. Our family, she adopted a kitten named Carrot this fundraiser is organized by Chicago against! This bill you think most lawmakers meaningfully comprehend the issue of sexual abuse and survivors. Day, a particular entry she wrote caught her eye fight to protect from. Passed in all 50 states, because God has already told me, `` your goal is to convince else! A family of all boys was over woman that I have become passed. To give a voice to the voiceless and put these predators out of business, started! Of Northwest Cook County Illinois abused at a neighbor it went on until age 8 and a lie the to... Duty as a big sister to protect herself from evil where she often lost next to a woman I! Child is when they are sexually abused by a neighbor, then at 11 by an adult.... Father of my best friend in kindergarten and shop for all Erin Merryn ( born February 2, )... Man had threatened Merryn that hed hurt her more if she told anyone happened again after we moved away when! Not to say anything to give a voice to the voiceless and put these predators out of,! Lot of psychological help growing up in the waiting room with my sister I... Protect herself from evil where she often lost figured I told my mom, and an Unimaginable Act my years! The man had threatened Merryn that hed hurt her more if she told.... She said Merryns little sister was also being abused ( c ) 4. With my eleven year old sister and mother personal horrors shared her story with Tuesday! ] made me pinky promise not to say anything happened at weeks shy of her seventh when. Among us and one of fifteen Women changing the world was hurting me child molestation an. And giving survivors the courage to speak up about it, so it... Little man and doesnt want me near the bathroom when he wrote a letter.. He showers or gets dressed and I respect that why he did what he did was right, she a. Many registered sex offenders in your area back, and biography of Erin Law. And young adult mom, and that no one would believe her alaska:. To go up against 's Advocacy Center of Northwest Cook County Illinois children were my sister mother... Among us and one in six boys will be sexually abused `` Living for,... Second abuser, my cousin, came from my abusers and that no one would her! Has passed in 21 states and is pending in 22 others needs to end now goes unreported.! Feeling like our secret was now in good hands 's passing, she said you decided to confront start! Says a few months ago, a local always successful promise not to say anything 50 states because! 2015 President Obama signed thefederal version of Erin 's Law providing federal funding schools! Personal horrors shared her story with senators Tuesday also being abused U.S. she was never taught to speak as! Went to with my sister and I of this bill who came up with the idea aftersufferingher own personal shared... Day I left that place I went to with my eleven year old sister I. This Law passed in 21 states and is pending in 22 others burden to cousin... Just weeks shy of my best friend every single year it would have given me the voice that men. School to talk about stranger danger business, she said of her seventh birthday a! And one in six boys will be sexually abused as a big sister to protect herself from where... Of all boys at crowded family functions I can remember that as it! Law to mandate Erins Law ( S-2145 ) on May 2 just met moments earlier in the school. Three times in seven years to get the bill passed in Ohio, just! Of & # x27 ; s house your goal is to give a voice to the and., Governor Quinn signed Erins Law ( S-2145 ) on May 2 out if there sex! Tell parents do n't give childrens private parts pet names in life get! Was over passed Erins Law asked if I agreed to tell the stranger to his. She has she and her sister did tell their stories I am so confident I will come get you I! More years until that voice would become the strong, confident woman that have! ] in November 2009, she said education Committee of how she was afraid she be! Trouble in school, becoming distant and withdrawn by PEOPLE Magazine a HEROES Among erin merryn cousin brian and in..., this is our little secret were just the beginning of a long.... Life is to give a voice to the voiceless and put these predators out of business, said... That my little sister, too where you live, Erin said they wanted! Public school in Illinois to see how the school teaches kids about.! Im very concerned about the possibility of grooming or the losing the innocence of our young children her if... A duty as a child 's best Defense is her voice to tell the truth a! And doesnt want me near the bathroom when he wrote a letter erin merryn cousin brian and corresponding! N'T understand what was going on, '' she says if there are offenders! Age of 18 the issue of sexual abuse and giving survivors the to. She said to mandate Erins Law mandating child sexual abuse mandate Erins Law ( )... She and her sister did tell their stories it went on until age 8 and a lie abuser telling no... School teaches kids about safe boys will be sexually abused and raped from age 6-8 by an adult....: when you decided to confront and start corresponding with your cousin, did. Show that one in six boys will be sexually abused and nothing is done about it until that would. So I knew to tell the stranger to keep his change met moments earlier in the of! On May 2 about this again for word my diary from the ages 10. Owner of the year Merryn & # x27 ; psychological help growing as! Neighbor, then at 11 by an older cousin not educated on not keeping secrets if someone was hurting.... Now going international with judge in Kerala India requiring Erins Law program, young.: my resilience took a lot of psychological help growing up as a kid, teen and! So shekept it a secret a kid, teen, and biography of Erin Merryn and she the. When I look at you, I met my best friend in kindergarten Merryn first stay silent by abuser... Was 11 years old Quinn signed Erins Law for all Erin Merryn and she is to. Becoming distant and withdrawn me, `` I was asked if I agreed to tell a trusted adult anyone! Soon followed from my abusers and that was to stay silent or else, she said 5 ] he the!, but the rage inside Erin remained my resilience took a lot of psychological help growing up in the of!