CCC speaks with mother, educator, activist & woman behind Erin's Law Erin Merryn

Childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author, speaker, child advocate and activist Erin Merryn is the founder and president of Erin’s Law. Sexually abused and raped from age 6-8 by an adult neighbor Erin was threatened to stay silent by her abuser. After her parents decided to move Erin’s abuse ended but only brought her that much closer to her next abuser, an older teenage cousin who lived down the street from her. Her older cousin sexually abused her from 11-13 years old. He threatened her to stay silent so she kept her secrets locked away in her childhood diary.

Erin is now on a mission to persuade all 50 states to pass Erin’s Law, which mandates that all public schools use age-appropriate curricula to teach students how to tell on anyone who touches or attempts to touch their private parts.

In 2013 Governor Quinn signed Erin’s Law mandating child sexual abuse education in all Illinois public schools. In just a few short years, she has already persuaded half the country to pass similar versions of the law. In 2009 Texas passed a similar law but it was only a task force which did not mandate students be taught personal body safety, making Illinois the first state to require personal body safety education by law.  She has now dedicated her life to protecting our nation’s children. She was honored for her efforts in 2012 as one of Glamour Magazine’s 2012 Women of the Year. In 2014 People magazine named her one of fifteen women changing the world along with Oprah and Hillary Clinton.

Erin along with her family and adorable internet celebrity Carrot the Cat help raise awareness and get this law passed. Currently 37 states have implemented Erin's Law. You can find more info here ErinsLaw.org

Carrot is the subject of Erin's latest book it and her other books are  available here ErinMerryn.Net