Push coming for mandatory sexual abuse awareness training in Iowa schools

Some Iowa children might not know how to recognize an inappropriate physical touch. A few Iowa groups and legislators are looking to change that.

For the second year, Rep. Greg Heartsill, R-Chariton, and the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking are looking to draft and pass a bill that would make it mandatory for Iowa's public school educators and students to undergo sexual abuse awareness training.

The bill, which didn't make it past the education committee last year, is based off Erin's Law, an organization founded by childhood sexual abuse survivor and activist Erin Merryn. The law, itself requires that all public schools implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program that teaches:

l All students age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult.

l School personnel about child sexual abuse.

l Parents or guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse and how to find resources to help children overcome abuse.

The bill was first passed in Merryn's home state of Illinois, and similar laws have since been passed in 26 states.

RECOGNIZING ABUSE

In Iowa, school districts have the choice whether students go through sexual abuse awareness training.

Many schools have 'good touch, bad touch” training when a trained educator goes into a classroom and talks to students about how to recognize a 'good touch,” such as a hug, handshake or pat on the back, versus a 'bad touch” that leaves a child feeling uncomfortable, threatened, embarrassed or confused.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District contracts with St. Lukes Child Protection Center to have students undergo sexual abuse training three times between kindergarten and fifth-grade, said Marcia Hughes, community relations supervisor for the district.

The Child Protection Center's Safetouch program teaches children to recognize and say ‘no' to bad or confusing touches, understand where their private areas are and to use the correct names of private parts so they don't feel uncomfortable telling a trusted adult about inappropriate touches.

George Belitsos, director of the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking, said making the training mandatory for all public schools ensures all students are aware.

'A lot of schools don't have that program,” Belitsos said. 'It would empower young people to know what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior. When someone is exploiting them, it gives them an avenue to disclose. It's important because young people who are being exploited frequently feel guilt.”

Heartsill said Erin's law would give kids an opportunity to prevent or disclose abuse.

'A lot of kids who go to school know to stop, drop and roll and say no to drugs,” Heartsill said. 'They know very little where to turn if they're abused or molested.”

Ruth Buckels, who is involved in the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and works at Youth and Shelter Services in Ames, also backs a future bill.

'We want school staff trained to be an askable adult,” Buckels said. 'Sometimes the kids don't feel comfortable during the presentation to stick their hands up. Kids need to know whatever their swimming suit covers is private to them. They have the right to their own body. If anybody other than their pediatrician with their permission tries to touch them, who do they tell?”

POSSIBLE OPPOSITION

Heartsill said one of the main reasons the bill died last session is because educators are wary of adding mandatory training initiatives without receiving additional state funds. He said he now knows of a new federal funding possibility that would appease educators' concerns.

In December 2015, three U.S. senators passed a bill that would provide federal funding to schools for sexual abuse training. Schools must apply for the funding.

Buckels said parents are also often reluctant for children to undergo training about sexual abuse. While she said it would be ideal for parents to teach kids about the topic, Buckels - a foster parent to six children who had previously been victims of sex trafficking - said she knows some remain unprotected.

'Even foster parents, we're told that's not our role,” Buckels said. 'We're not to discuss sexual issues or sexual touching because that's the job of the therapist or another social worker. We can't say, ‘Did you know that nobody gets to touch your body without your permission?'

'If you're in an unsafe situation and the person you're supposed to be telling, you can't reach maybe because you're too young or you don't have a phone or the parent is always standing right there, those youth don't have a voice either.”

Buckels said the training schools implement should be research-based, and parents could be allowed to receive training before kids so they understand that the explanations of sexual abuse are not graphic.

'You can do this so many ways to take the fear out of it,” Buckels said. 'I think people get so fearful of the backlash that they stagnate and do nothing. What we're learning is that kids don't have the knowledge to ask the questions.

'We're just trying to find a nonthreatening, non-invasive way to have those kids backed up by somebody else.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8516; makayla.tendall@thegazette.com