Sexual Violence Prevention

Sexual violence is an important issue that affects many of our young people, both boys and girls. Below is the presentation I gave to the Education Committee in the 2022 Legislative Session for HB 274. It explains what the bill would do, why it’s needed, and how it would be implemented.

HB 274 requires the State Board of Education to establish curriculum requirements that include instruction on sexual assault resource strategies and sexual violence behavior prevention.

These curriculum content requirements would be designed to teach students to respect others personal boundaries and set their own boundaries. This bill asks LEA’s to include teaching students they have the right to object to sexual advances, and also learn when they are in danger of sexual violence.

It would also include information about the resources available to help with the physical and psychological effects of sexual assault.

The bill also directs the USBE to create standards for curriculum development that include instruction in coercion, emotional manipulation, and grooming strategies.

Why is it needed? According to a recent report from the Utah Women and Leadership Project directed by Dr. Susan Madsen at Utah State University, child sexual abuse is a significant problem in the state of Utah. The Leadership Project provides the statistics on this handout to inform Utah decision makers and residents about this troubling trend so that changes can be made to better protect and support our children.

The Utah Dept of Health in Nov 2021 reported that 1 in 3 women in Utah will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. 1 in 6 women in Utah will experience rape or attempted rape in their lifetime and 1 in 25 men in Utah will experience rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.

I won’t read all the statistics as they are on your handout, but they are grim and should concern every mother, father, grandparent and anyone who cares about our children’s health and safety. I will state only two. More than three-fourths of all sexual assault victims in Utah reported being sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday, with more than one-third of these survivors stating they were assaulted before their 10th birthday, many of them victimized by a family member.

In Utah, according to the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, only 11.8% of women report sexual assault to law enforcement. Yet, even with low reporting rates, Utah’s reported rape rate has consistently been higher than the national rate over the past 25 years.

What can we do about it? Educate! We teach kids from the first grade not to use drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. They have assemblies to teach them to just say no, Red Ribbon Week, but nothing about sexual violence because it makes us uncomfortable even as adults. My bill would add to a curriculum that addresses some of issues that many parents find difficult to discuss.

Schools can provide a safe environment for learning consistent and all-inclusive health education from a well-trained and caring teacher. Other resources are available like non-profit community centers, parental guidance, and the internet exist, but there is no guarantee that students have access to these resources.

Parents will always have the option NOT to have their children receive this education on how to protect themselves. Parents can access the consent form which lists each topic covered and the teacher checks the ones they do. Parents then have four choices. Opt in, opt out of some, opt out of all, review the material before choosing.

We do many things in our state to protect the vulnerable, and we should certainly protect children, our most precious resource. The consequences are serious and can be long lasting. The long-term negative effects of sexual abuse and sexual violence increase drop-out rates by as much as 40%, are associated with increased rates of alcohol and substance abuse. Children who experience sexual abuse are at least three times more likely to attempt suicide later in life, four times more likely to experience PTSD as adults, and 3 times more likely to experience a major depressive episode as adults.

Finally, beyond the emotional and physical trauma to young people, the economic cost is huge. In 2011, Utah spent more than $92 million on people known to have perpetrated sexual violence, while spending only $16.5 million on those who experienced sexual violence. Only $569,000 was spent on effort to prevent sexual violence. Today, 11 years later, the estimated economic cost from all sexual violence totals nearly $5 billion every year, almost $1700 per Utah resident.

SUMMATION:

One thing I know from my decades of teaching teens and raising my own children, they are brave, resilient, curious, and eager for honest discussions on topics that affect them deeply. I urge you to support this bill so we can provide this education for the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of our young people starting in 7th grade and again in 10th or 11th grade.

HB 274 is supported by the following organizations:

Utah PTA, the League of Women Voters, Prevent Child Abuse Utah, UEA, Utah State School Boards Association, and Utah State Superintendents Association.

“‘I was just stunned’: Bill updating what Utah students learn about sexual assault fails”- Salt Lake Tribune by Becky Jacobs (2022)

“Here’s what Utah students would learn about sexual assault under a new proposal”- Salt Lake Tribune by Becky Jacobs (2022)