Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. Erin wrote that letter. 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. All rights reserved. Acting out both at home and in school, she was given an IEP (Individual Education Plan) and was told she was just going through a phase; that her parents brief separation was the probable root cause. 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. She is an activist against child sexual abuse. Erin also included the correspondence between her cousin and herself, for readers to also hear the perpetrator's side. Erin Merryn Mar 2004 - Present18 years 7 months Chicago, IL Erin is an author, writer, and activist. (2012) Fox News Self - Author of 'An Unimaginable Act'. He was given probation and counseling., Forgiveness is what set me free, she said. Merryn is an author and activist against sexual abuse who founded "Erin's Law," which requires school to. Has anything particularly heartened you? Ensuring all New Jersey kids have access to age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention education will end the cycle of abuse before it begins. Those were just the number of children who broke their silence that year. 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. 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. 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. EN. Partly cloudy. The man had threatened Merryn that hed hurt her more if she told anyone. 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. 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. See the sex abuse in Israel's ultra-orthodox community. Download it here. (Read why most child abuse goes unreported). 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. In a Q&A with Alaska Dispatch before boarding her flight north, Merryn wasn't shy about sharing the difficulties she's experienced, including a suicide attempt, or the one thing that happened to make her finally tell someone she was being hurt. 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 also wantsteachers andstafftrained on the topic. He told me, "Your goal is to convince everyone else." MORE: Moms and dads, can we talk about stranger danger? I came from a good home, two parents, good schools, safe neighborhood, etc. Merryn said she testified four times for the task force. My mission, through this legislation, is to educate children on what I never learned. I will come get you, I know where you live, Erin recalled. Do you believe one word is more appropriate than the other? Ill never be abused again, its just all gonna go away.. Eleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. After graduating with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in social work from Western Illinois and Aurora Universities in 2008 and 2009, Health Communications published her second book, Living for Today: From Incest and Molestation to Fearlessness and Forgiveness. When Erin Merryn was a child, she was sexually abused by two people she knew and trusted, including a family member. Two of those children were my sister and I. It wasnt until Erin was 13 and found out the same thing was happening to her little sister (then age 11), that she decided she needed to speak out. Realizing I was not a fault and learning to let go of the guilt. 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]. That is what brought Erin to tell her story at Metamora Township High School last Monday afternoon, during an all-school assembly. Erin says she believes everyone is born with a purpose and she has found hers through the events that have occurred in her life. Erin Merryn (born February 2, 1985) is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. "Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I met my best friend in kindergarten. The Church Sex Abuse Scandals Around the World, Child-Abuse Case Reveals Vietnam's Lax Social Services, (Read why most child abuse goes unreported). Erin said the abuse stopped after her sister spoke up about her own abuse. Thirty-seven states have passed Erins Law and Merryn has tried three times in seven years to get the bill passed in Ohio. All rights reserved. Merryn's family, including her two sisters, moved to another neighborhood in the same town when Merryn was 8, and she stopped seeing Ashley. I often say victims are those who are killed by their attackers. Oh and of course my cousin's voice echoing through my head "No one will believe you, you have no proof, you will destroy this family, this is our secret!" Putting the lives of children in danger and possibly taking their innocence is worth it? In 2013, Governor Quinn signed it into law requiring Illinois schools to teach it every single year. For so many years I stayed angry and bitter towards him. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. It can happen to anyone, which is why we need to empower our children with their voice to speak up and tell and to not keep it a secret if they are abused. The abuse continued until she was almost 9. She has made it her mission in life to get this legislation passed in all 50 states. Sponsored by Rep. Geran Tarr, D-Anchorage, HB 233 puts Alaska among the states considering "Erin's Law" in 2014. Merryn kept her confusion to herself. 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. What factors came together for you to be able to not only overcome what happened, but to also thrive? In December 2010 I was voted News Maker of the year for the Daily Herald.She earned her masters degree in Social Work and is the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, AnUnimaginableAct, Bailey No Ordinary Cat & The Diary of a Cat Named Carrot. Merryn suffered sexual abuse by a male neighbor at ages six to eight[2] and by a teenage cousin at ages 11 to 13. My question to hotel or motel management would be, Why not tell? 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. 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 is the founder of Erin's Law, which requires public schools to teach children personal body safety on the prevention of child sexual abuse. 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 . Here's a glimpse of her life and why she's on a quest for social change. Erin Merryn detailed the treatment and help she received from the Children's Advocacy Center, which has 900 locations across the U.S.A. - a safe environment for children to share their stories of abuse. She didn't want to stop visiting her friend but tried to find times when Richard wasn't around. Instead of putting their daughters through further emotional trauma of a criminal trial, Erins parents decided not to press charges. will then mail or hand the parents or responsible adult family member the Megans Law information. As for Merryn, today shes married, the mother of an almost 2 year old, and expecting her second child in eight weeks. 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. He threatened her to stay silent so she kept her secrets locked away in her childhood diary. But what followed was depression,an eating disorder and a suicide attempt. Again, she started having trouble in school, becoming distant and withdrawn. Im very concerned about the possibility of grooming or the losing the innocence of our young children. "Erin's Law" is named after Schaumburg native and activist Erin Merryn. From the time my son Jack was around 3, I began having the private parts talk with him. 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's family, including her two sisters, moved to another neighborhood in the same town when Merryn was 8, and she stopped seeing Ashley. EN RU CN DE ES. At age 11, Erin fell victim again. Read more about Erins Law at www.erinslaw.org, or about Erin herself at www.erinmerryn.net. So be careful sending little Tommy for ice at the machine down the hall and inform teens who often book motels after prom. Well, something shocking happened. Her older cousin sexually abused her from 11-13 years old. 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. This fundraiser is organized by Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (Caase). I found hope and healing there and people that believed me. COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio Senate is considering a bill to teach elementary, middle and high school students how to protect themselves from sexual predators. 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 her nightmare was just beginning. Caught you off guard? Merryn: The first thing someone can do is start talking about it. Erin said he would occasionally downplay what he did, but he never denied it. Merryn: What caused me to come forward was unfortunately finding out that my little sister was also being abused. Merryn travels the country advocating for children who are victims of sexual assault. I sat next to a woman who I had just met moments earlier in the waiting room with my sister and mom. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. The case never went to trial, and Brian received some counseling, but no punishment. One personal safety lesson learned at school that actually helped me in life was "stranger danger." Merryn says starting when she was six, she was sexually abused by a neighbor, then at 11 by an older cousin. Do I know the difference between the truth and a lie? Donors may not deduct contributions made to Erins Law under IRC Section 170 (c) (2). Merryn is now taking her fight to the state of Alabama. I found myself locked in bedrooms, basements, bathrooms, a car, garage and repeatedly assaulted by my cousin.. But at age 11, Merryn's second nightmare began. Erin Merryn is author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, and An Unimaginable Act. But Ashley begged her not to say anything because Richard had told her they would "lose the house" if the girls told anyone. 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. The next steps for the bill remain unknown. Erins ongoing abuse with her friends uncle was over. 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. By breaking your silence you are reclaiming your voice. Innocence lost. [8] In November 2009, she published a second book, Living For Today, discussing earlier abuse by her neighbor. 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. 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. Do you still stay in contact with him? Did you ever wonder, or ever ask him, why he did what he did? 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. 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. Im glad he gets body boundaries and safety and Ill be pounding it into his head as long as I can. Forgiveness set me free. Of course I was asked what I was referring to and I said my cousin Brian has been doing bad things. Erin Merryn testified Tuesday in an Ohio Senate committee about 'Erin's Law.' Choosing to forgive has led me to live for today. See all See top. 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. IG: The_Cat_Named_Carrot.Ellen is Carrot's biggest fan. Later, just weeks before her seventh birthday, she was raped by the same man. Alaska Dispatch: Would something like what you are proposing -- Erin's Law -- have helped you? 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. 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]. But at age 11, Merryn's second nightmare began. Is there anything about your life circumstances that you think made you a target? Merryn: Many don't realize that there are 42 million survivors in America of child sexual abuse. Merryn realized he had been molesting her sister too. Was this just bad luck? When I look at you, I see nothing but scum. 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. 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. MORE: Cancer-surviving mom stays strong for her son. My name is Erin Merryn and I am a survivor of child sexual abuse. 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. 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. Merryn cautions that you can never just go by how many registered sex offenders are in your area. It brings it all back to the surface. CBN News Self - Children's Advocate. According to Merryn, every school gets the option to pick a Erins Law program, and have an outside agency teach. I also learned in group how to create a safe place to escape to when memories flooded my memory.While I was not ready at thirteen and fourteen to immediately share the journey of what all I went through because I was still too ashamed the Children's Advocacy Center laid the foundation in my healing to one day let that voice be heard. What are the most persistent knowledge gaps? 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. The book is titled "Stolen Innocence." [3], She graduated from Schaumburg High School in 2004[4] and earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Western Illinois University in 2008. 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. 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. "It's something that is going to be with me the rest of my life," Erin said. So, she forgave him. Who encouraged you to keep talking, to keep fighting? --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. Erin is a mom to three little girls. My sister and I told our parents the next day (and) we were referred to the Children's Advocacy Center by police detectives to be interviewed. One thing my abusers kept telling me was that I had no proof that they were hurting me, so why would anyone believe me? Statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18. 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. Known For. The voice that was silenced for so long. Every parent should do their homework before they send their kids anywhere. People would be amazed how many people this really does affect and that they know but have never come forward. But instead of telling everyone to vote against it, she told everyone to vote in support of this bill. 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