Published:
Cornyn, Hassan Introduce the Jenna Quinn Law to Help Prevent Child Abuse
Encourages Community-Based Prevention Education and Training for Teachers, Caregivers, and Students
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and
Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today introduced the Jenna Quinn Law, which would
allow current grant funds to be used to train and educate students, teachers,
caregivers, and other adults who work with children in a professional or
volunteer capacity on how to prevent, recognize, and report child sexual abuse.
The bill is named for Jenna Quinn, a Texan and child abuse survivor, and is
modeled after successful reforms passed in Texas.
“Training
students, teachers, and caregivers to identify and prevent child sexual abuse
saves lives, but not all states have critical programs like this,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Jenna’s Law significantly
increased the reporting of child sexual abuse in Texas, and I am proud to join
with advocates like Jenna Quinn to enact these reforms nationally.”
“With more
young people home and online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been
heightened concerns about child sexual abuse. That’s why it’s more important
than ever that students, teachers, caregivers, and individuals who work with
children understand the signs of sexual abuse and know what to do to report
it,” said Sen. Hassan.
“I look forward to working with Senator Cornyn and our colleagues to build
support for this critical bill so that we can pass it into law and help prevent
abuse.”
Background:
Jenna Quinn has
been an outspoken advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse and was the
driving force behind what is now known as Jenna’s Law in Texas. Unanimously
passed by the Texas State Senate and House, Jenna’s Law was the first child
sexual abuse prevention law in the U.S. that mandates K-12 trainings for
students and school staff and was amended in 2017 to include sex trafficking
prevention education in schools. More than half of all states have adopted a
form of Jenna’s Law.
After Jenna’s Law
passed in Texas in 2009, a study found educators reported child sexual abuse at
a rate almost four times greater after training than during their pre-training
career.
The Jenna Quinn
Law, which previously passed the Senate unanimously last September, would:
- · Authorize federal grants to eligible entities for increasing evidence-based or informed training on sexual abuse prevention education and reporting to teachers and school employees, students, caregivers, and other adults who work with children.
- · Ensure these grant recipients coordinate with local educational agencies to train students, professionals and volunteers who work with students on sexual abuse prevention, recognition and reporting.
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