INDIANAPOLIS – A new state law will require students as young as kindergarten to learn about sexual abuse.
Previously, Indiana’s law required child abuse and child sexual abuse education for students in grades second through fifth, but the new law will expand that instruction to those in grades K-12.
The new law will go into effect July 1, 2018.
The Indiana Youth Institute finds a case of child abuse or neglect is reported every 2-and-a-half minutes in Indiana. Advocates believe it’s important for all children to recognize the signs of abuse early.
Isha Haley said she experienced more than a decade of abuse during her childhood and is credited with helping to pass the new law.
Haley said a female family member began sexually abusing her as a child.
"It started with her asking me to scratch her hair. and we started playing beautician. From there, we played doctor. She asked me to touch her in other private parts,” said Haley.
RELATED | CALL 6: Child abuse, neglect cases on the rise in Indiana | Principal charged with failure to immediately report child abuse allegations | Parents say child care "covered up" sex abuse allegations before their toddler became a victim
At the age of 14, her new step-father started sexually abusing her.
"It was the old-fashioned grooming. He would buy me gifts; he would tell me not to tell my mom. We had secrets,” she said.
Haley said if the new law were mandated when she was a child, it could have made a difference for her.
"Nobody saw my pain, nobody asked me what was happening at home. I would go to school with the most scantily clothes you can imagine,” said Haley. “It would have intervened. I'm not sure it would have stopped the first abuse. But, I know by the time I was 11 or 12 years old, if someone came into my school, I would have known it was wrong."
The Indiana Department of Education will create age-appropriate materials for public and private schools that will go into classrooms next year.
