Our student course curriculum provides age-appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse prevention for students in grades K-6, including information on available counseling and resources for children who are sexually abused. The grades 7-12 curriculum provides age-appropriate instruction in dating violence prevention education and sexual violence prevention education including recognizing dating violence warning signs and characteristics of healthy relationships.   These training curricula are provided by The Foundation United and included in the Ohio Department of Education’s list of recommended providers.

SPEAK UP, Sexual Abuse/Violence Prevention Education for Students – provides age-appropriate information to students and is intended to seed classroom discussion.

• K-2nd Grade Safety Training
• 3rd-5th Grade Equipped Training
• 6th-8th Grade Empowered Training
• 9th-12th Grade Freedom Training

The staff training video was created by detectives from Columbus City police, Department of Public Safety, Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (ONCAC), The Foundation United, as well as a Cincinnati local police department.  This will be a standalone course this year, and in the 2024-2025 school year, we will be including this training in our Child Abuse and Human Trafficking course as well as new hire training.

The staff training course learning outcomes include:

• Definition of child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Short- and long-term effects
• How to identify risk factors and those most at risk
• How to identify behavioral, emotional, and physical signs
• Student disclosure
• Staff response to disclosure
• Reporting requirements in Ohio and a section from ONCAC regarding expectations of post-reporting

Erin’s Law requirements vary from state to state, but they all require that all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program. The suggested curriculum is:

1. Students: pre-k to 12th grade, age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult
2. Staff: all about child sexual abuse
3. Parents & guardians: the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families

Erin’s law is currently passed in 38 states and passing in 12 other states. Click here for a full list of states where it has passed.

In Ohio, per ORC 3313.60, the following guidelines are required for parental notification.  Each school district must notify the parents and legal guardians of students who receive instruction related to child sexual abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention. The notification must include the following information:

• Instruction in child sexual abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention is a required part of the district’s curriculum.
• Upon request, parents and legal guardians may examine instructional materials (as described below).
• Upon written request of the student’s parent or guardian, a student can be excused from taking instruction in child sexual abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention.

If the parent or legal guardian of a student less than eighteen years of age submits to the principal of the student’s school a written request to examine the dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention instruction materials used at that school, the principal, within forty-eight hours after the request is made, shall allow the parent or guardian to examine those materials at that school.

If you’re a current PSW client, please contact your Safety Advisor if you have questions about your state requirements.

According to erinslaw.org, “Erin’s Law is named after childhood sexual assault survivor, author, speaker and activist Erin Merryn, who is the founder and President of Erin’s Law, which is registered with the State of Illinois and the IRS as a 501 (c)(4) non-profit social welfare organization.

After Erin introduced the legislation in her home state of Illinois, the bill was named “Erin’s Law” after her by legislators and it has caught on nationwide. Illinois is the first state by law to mandate child sexual abuse prevention. Vermont state board of education required this in schools since 2009. As of January 2023 Erin’s Law has been passed in 38 states. Check out Erin’s  interview on CNN from 2018.”

Erin’s Law is meant to protect students and minors from sexual abuse. According to erinslaw.org, “1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys have been sexually abused before their 18th birthday.”

Each state has a different approach depending on language of the law. Some states require it begin to be taught the start of the new school year. Other states allow state board of education to give schools a year to prepare for implementation.