The only difference is now I am running from him in my dreams" (Merryn 49). Merryn is an author, activist, and founder of Erin's Law. Requiring personal body safety education in public schools. Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erins Law. Do you know if it was as healing for him as it was for you? Hes grown into quite the little man and doesnt want me near the bathroom when he showers or gets dressed and I respect that. 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. She wanted him to know how much his actions had affected her life. 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]. Two of those children were my sister and I. So before CAC's a child brought to a police station could be filled with anxiety and fear that they are in trouble. The Children's Advocacy Center of Northwest Cook County Illinois. I didnt want to talk to anyone about this. But her nightmare was just beginning. As an adult, she's reclaimed the voice her abusers tried to silence. Merryn didn't tell anyone until she was 13 and she suspected her sister was also being abused. 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. I found (the) freedom and peace I had longed for. I survived it and eventually learned how to thrive from it by breaking my silence and putting a face and voice on this silent epidemic. For so many years I stayed angry and bitter towards him. Lawmakers are in the dark about this. The first abuser, our neighbor, is someone I think who did this to any girl he had access to. The case never went to trial, and Brian received some counseling, but no punishment. [3], She graduated from Schaumburg High School in 2004[4] and earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Western Illinois University in 2008. On Thursday, Quinn signed "Erin's Law" at the Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County in Hoffman Estates. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. 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. Behind those numbers are the faces of innocent children whose childhoods were shattered by actions of evil and sickness. Merryn saidif parents are not comfortable, the bill allows parents toopt their kids out of the education. Through her personal diary, written during the years of her abuse, Erin shares her journey through pain and confusion to inner strength and, ultimately, forgiveness. 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. Meanwhile, the survivor who came up with the idea aftersufferingher own personal horrors shared her story with senators Tuesday. Jill Burke is a former writer and columnist for Alaska Dispatch News. Illinois is the first state by law to mandate Erins Law. 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. The bill had already passed the House . She also wantsteachers andstafftrained on the topic. Erin Merryn, A Voice for the Voiceless. MORE: Moms and dads, can we talk about stranger danger? 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. But her parents thought it was because of health problems she was having at the time. 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 earned a master's degree from Aurora University in social work. "(It) brings me back to remembering being six-years-old being abused. It is when they hear my story of how I was raped, and how my abusers controlled the situation by being the only ones talking to me about what was happening, that they "get it." Erin Merryn (Author) 139 ratings Kindle Edition $17.99 Read with Our Free App Paperback $16.56 16 Used from $11.22 5 New from $45.35 Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. Merryn said she testified four times for the task force. 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. What if their family is pressuring them to just keep quiet and get on with their life? Learn More. Who encouraged you to keep talking, to keep fighting? Merryn: I cover these two words in my second book, "Living for Today." Merryn advocates for sexual abuse victims. It allowed me to go on this mission to be a face and voice for millions by letting go of hatred and instead turning pain into a purpose. Vermont State Board of Education has required it in schools since 2009. Again, she started having trouble in school, becoming distant and withdrawn. Merryn spoke to members of the Ohio SenatePrimary and Secondary Education Committee of how she was sexually abused as a child. Her dad singled me out during the party. It happened again after we moved away, when a cousin started abusing me in my sleep when I was 11 years old. House Bill 105 overwhelminglypassed the Ohio Housea year ago. Alaska's version of Erin's Law is currently under consideration by the Alaska State Legislature as House Bill 233. After reading that letter, a switch flipped inside Erin. Her dad had to sit down and have a tough conversation with his sister, and denial followed. 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. Children learn all kinds of safety lessons in schools, like how to deal with natural disasters, fires and strangers. But where were the eight ways on how to "get away and tell today?" Merryn suffered sexual abuse by a male neighbor at ages six to eight[2] and by a teenage cousin at ages 11 to 13. Sexually abused and raped from age 6-8 by an adult neighbor Erin was threatened to stay silent by her abuser. My parents believed me and my cousin Brian confessed to the police, she said. 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. I feel it would have given me the voice that these men took from me. Putting the lives of children in danger and possibly taking their innocence is worth it? Has anything particularly heartened you? 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. 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. Erin said the abuse stopped after her sister spoke up about her own abuse. Before . Two days later, their cousin was brought into the police station. After her parents decided to move Erins abuse ended but only brought her that much closer to her next abuser, an older teenage cousin who lived down the street from her. Every other headline horrifies the public with another predator taking not just advantage of a child but everything from a child. Erin Merryn, the bill's namesake and a survivor of sexual abuse, said she is frustrated by the governor's slow response to sign it into law. Erin Merryn from Elgin, Illinois, was just weeks shy of her seventh birthday when she was raped by an adult neighbor. I just figured I told my mom, and I never had to talk about this again. It just turned into a screaming match between my mom and his mom, your son did this, your girls are liars, remembered Erin. Known For. The path to justice for survivors of sexual assault is not an easy road. In 2013, Governor Quinn signed it into law requiring Illinois schools to teach it every single year. tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. But only 1 in every 10 sexually abused children ever tell anyone about it. All rights reserved. Usually, the abuse isnt at the hands of a stranger, rather someone they know and trust. There, at her friends house, in the middle of the night, she was sexually assaulted by her friends uncle. So many children will be protected because of her." The law has now passed in 37 states. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. ThediaryIkept my secrets locked away in, where I lost my innocence, I turned into a book mysenior year of high school called Stolen Innocence, because thats whathappened to me, Merryn said. 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. I often say victims are those who are killed by their attackers. EN. Erin Elizabeth was sexually abused from 11-13 by her older cousin. I came from a good home, two parents, good schools, safe neighborhood, etc. Her friend slept through the assault, and Merryn remained silent. She is the force behind passing Erin's Law across America. Merryn lay on blankets on the floor next to Ashley, who was in her bed. She is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for . 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 was afraid she would be a burden to her cousin and that no one would believe her. As an adult, she's reclaimed the voice her. In December 2015, President Obama signed the federal version of Erin's Law providing federal funding toschools to provide this education. COURIER/JOELLYN CURRY It is my hope hearing my message today youll see the importance of what Im here to talk to you about, said Erin Merryn. CBN News Self - Children's Advocate. I left all the fragmented sentences, misspelled words, because I wanted readers to hear the voice of a young child.. I continued to write him because I wanted answers. Merryn's experiences belie the more common parental fears of "stranger danger." The shame is so overwhelming. Erin is a mom to three little girls. He cornered her in basements, bathrooms and bedrooms, always reminding her that she shouldn't bother telling anyone because no one would believe her. So, she forgave him. The place Erin reclaimed her voice and began her journey to healing. She explained to her cousin that she didnt want to publish it out of revenge, rather to help the millions of other sexual assault survivors. But nobody asked those important questions. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. [2] The family pressed charges, and the cousin eventually confessed to three counts of child sexual abuse. Wow, I have a decision to make. Unthinkable acts. We live in a society that keeps it hushed and (there is) so much taboo around it; people are afraid to speak up and say this happened to them. So I stayed silent. No one will believe you, Erin. And for the next year and a half, repeatedly told me, This is our little secret. Check out Erins third book, An Unimagiable Act. This book describes Erins journey across America to get Erins Law passed and resources for survivors, parents, and educators. So far 27 states have passed Erins Law since 2010. Little did I realize, that by moving, I was getting that much closer to the next perpetrator in my life, she said. Merryn says her abuse ended when the family moved to a new neighborhood, Schaumburg, Illinois but she took her secret with her. 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. Illinois is the fifth state to pass Erin's Law since she took up the cause. Well, something shocking happened. She has now dedicated her life to protecting our nations children. COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio Senate is considering a bill to teach elementary, middle and high school students how to protect themselves from sexual predators. He was free, but the rage inside Erin remained. 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. 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. But both she and her sister did tell their stories. More than 90 percent of children who are sexually abused know their attacker, Bucco said with conviction. But Ashley begged her not to say anything because Richard had told her they would "lose the house" if the girls told anyone. Bucco introduced Erins Law (S-2145) on May 2. Alaska Dispatch: When you decided to confront and start corresponding with your cousin, how did it go at first? It was the first federal bill passed funding sexual abuse prevention education. I wouldn't have quit my job four years ago as a master's level counselor to go after this had I not been lead by the Lord. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. No one is allowed in the bathroom with you not even your friend. How do you identify? 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. This representative did get on her mic. A therapist urged her to get her anger out on paper by writing her cousin a letter detailing how she felt, and after she wrote it, she was to rip it up, burn it or otherwise throw it away. Erin has spoken at over 250 CAC events.In 2008 she began writing legislators to require personal body safety be taught to kids in school. "Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. She didn't want to stop visiting her friend but tried to find times when Richard wasn't around. Erin has been traveling state to state testifying to lawmakers to pass Erin's law for 7 years. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. At age 11, Erin fell victim again. Erin endured the abuse from age 6 to 8 and from 11 to 13 and felt the long-lasting effects of her guilt, shame and loss of innocence. 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. But instead of destroying it, she ended up emailing her five-page account of anger and rage to her cousin, who was now attending college. My name is Erin Merryn and I am a survivor of child sexual abuse. 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. When Erin Merryn was a child, she was sexually abused by two people she knew and trusted, including a family member. But when it came to being sexually abused, there was nothing. 5 talking about this. That happened until I was 13. I am so confident I will get this law passed in all 50 states, because God has already told me it will happen. 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. 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. Merryn: I reclaimed my voice in the Children's Advocacy Center. Therapists (and) an amazing school psychologist in high school really helped me heal. This decision has brought her on a crusade across America to pass what is known as Erin's Law. Merryn cautions that you can never just go by how many registered sex offenders are in your area. That is just (in) America. 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. Gov. I was keeping this secret with my best friend because he was also abusing her, Merryn said. Did anything make you an attractive target, or particularly vulnerable? The instruction will be provided by a school nurse who has completed professional development sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention. Forgiving him did not mean what he did was right, she stressed. Alaska Dispatch: You were preyed upon not once, but twice (two different abusers during different stages of childhood). The next day they told their parents. Alaska Dispatch: You have since spoken up in a big way. 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. I was told repeatedly by my cousin that I had no proof, that he would deny it, that no one would believe me. Merryn worked with U.S. When people ask how I have overcome all that I have and doing what I am doing now, passing Erin's Law in 11 states, 26 introducing it and going to each capital to testify on it, I tell them all of this comes from our creator. Thats precisely why she does what she does. Merryn is a national spokesperson for the National Children's Alliance, becoming the first survivor of child sexual abuse that went through a Children's Advocacy Center to speak on national television about her experience.[1]. One thing my abusers kept telling me was that I had no proof that they were hurting me, so why would anyone believe me? Do I know the difference between the truth and a lie? Two against one, somebody had to believe us.. However, she said theabuseand rape continueduntil she was almost nine. Erin Merryn is the author of three books about surviving incest, including "Living for Today." She also speaks nationally on the subject. IG: The_Cat_Named_Carrot.Ellen is Carrot's biggest fan. 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. However, during the hearing Tuesday,Ohio State Sen. Sandra OBrien, R-Ashtabula, told Merryn that whileshe was sorry about what happened to her,there will always be evil in the world.. Again, she was told to keep quiet, that no one would believe her if she said anything and that she had no proof. 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. 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. The revelation caused tension in the family. Forgiveness is what set me free. Eventually though the conversation has to shift and that question that I will never forget. Our guest speaker for the Luncheon will now be Erin Merryn, childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist, and the force behind Erin . My goal in life is to give a voice to the voiceless and put these predators out of business, she said. With every passing week, and with every visit, Erin gets closer to her goal. Here's how to protect your kids from online predators. Merryn: This wasn't bad luck. They talked for hours about what had happened, and the next day told their parents about their shared horror. The man, then in his late 20s, abused her several more times in the next year, including, she says, raping her during a daytime visit when she thought he wouldn't be home. Im terribly concerned about that, said OBrien. Erin Merryn was an innocent child of six when her best friend asked her to sleepover. 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. See her personal website at ErinMerryn.net. Sharing those details can be difficult because as survivors, they bring us back to the place where we endured the horror. One day, a particular entry she wrote caught her eye. They never came, so I stayed silent. Erins Law is a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. Instead of putting their daughters through further emotional trauma of a criminal trial, Erins parents decided not to press charges. 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. It was the first time she supported a school mandate, and she retired later that year. It was just the beginning of a long journey. See the sex abuse in Israel's ultra-orthodox community. Through her speeches and books, Erin is an inspiration to professionals working daily to fight child abuse. She has made it her mission in life to get this legislation passed in all 50 states. "I just stared at the ceiling waiting for it to end." Now she's on a quest to make sure lawmakers across America hear what she has to stay. Its somebody they know and trust.. Child molestation is an epidemic that needs to end now. In 2014 People magazine named her one of fifteen women changing the world along with Oprah and Hillary Clinton. 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. 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. But nothing prepared her for two traumatizing events that have turned Merryn, now 25, into an activist, determined to prevent the same thing from happening to other children. 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. 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. Statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18. 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 . Erin Merryn speaks with enthusiasm, rattling off the list of trips around the globe, the hours of research and meetings promoting her cause. Merryn: Many don't realize that there are 42 million survivors in America of child sexual abuse. 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. As the abuse continued, and as she was forced to see her abuser over and over again in social situations, she struggled with . She is dedicated to taking the stigma and shame away from sexual abuse and giving survivors the courage to speak up as she has. "A Child's Best Defense Is Her Voice. But instead of telling everyone to vote against it, she told everyone to vote in support of this bill. How and when did you do it first? Merryn, then 6, was excited about her first sleepover with her kindergarten classmate Ashley. What are the most persistent knowledge gaps? Merryn now had a duty as a big sister to protect her younger sibling. Read more 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. 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. But many schools, she said, are using faculty social workers and psychologists because research shows its better taught by in-house staff then outside agencies. This fundraiser is organized by Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (Caase). 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