Senator Brower to Introduce “Erin’s Law”
From the website of State Senator Greg Brower
RENO NV – Senator Brower announced today that he intends to introduce legislation to help prevent the sexual abuse of children. “As a prosecutor, I saw too many cases involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of children,” said Brower. “Recent events around the country and right here in Nevada tell us that we have a serious problem and it’s time to make prevention of these horrific crimes a priority. Studies show that one in four girls and one in seven boys are subjected to some form of sexual abuse by age 18, and, in more than 90 percent of these cases, the abuser is not a stranger. I intend to introduce legislation aimed at changing this reality.”
Greg is working on a bill known as “Erin’s Law,” modeled after legislation recently passed in several other states including Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana. These laws are named for Erin Merryn, a sexual abuse survivor whose advocacy led her home state of Illinois to be the first to pass such a law last year. Merryn has made it her mission to ensure that all children receive age-appropriate education to recognize and report sexual abuse.
“I have been communicating with Ms. Merryn about the laws enacted in other states, and I have begun to work with legislative staff to draft an appropriate bill for Nevada. At a minimum, I am looking at creating a task force which would bring together law enforcement officials, educators, social service providers and others to conduct a comprehensive study of the problem and make recommendations for combating it.”
