Victor Pacini's mission is to help children have a voice and empower them to speak up and believe in themselves. The Erin’s Law Program for Schools aims to create a safe and engaging environment where children will learn about the dangers of abuse and the difference between safe and unsafe touching. It opens a discussion of how unsafe secrets are not healthy to keep.
Erin’s Law requires that all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program which teaches:
- Age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult, to students in grades Pre-K – 12th grade
- School personnel all about child sexual abuse
- Parents & guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families
Sexual awareness and safety is an ongoing program. Four communications per year are recommended; Pacini's program is ready to fulfill the mandate at all levels including the four communications. This program has been designed as an ongoing fulfillment of Erin's Law. Each new year has new material that keeps the program fresh and new.
There have been over 95 disclosures made by students as a direct result of Victor's program. The Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center (which is the organization that Erin Merryn worked closely with to get the law passed), has referred Victor's program, Be Seen and Heard, to many schools.
The program, while on the subject of keeping one’s body safe, utilizes concepts that overlap with life occurrences, making it applicable to many aspects of life. More recently, the program added a "sexting" component for appropriate grades when schools have requested it to be included.
Testimonials provided by the program:
“Victor’s ‘Erin’s Law’ program is probably the most age-appropriate way that I’ve ever seen to present a difficult topic, and he does it in a very kid-friendly, age-appropriate manner.” - Dr. Scott Schwartz, Principal, Deerfield, IL
"It's a breath of fresh air to have Victor do his Erin's Law presentation for our students. He knocked it out of the park. From staff to parents to students everyone is begging me to book him for next year." - Merryl Brownlow, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction Riverside SD 96
“The feedback that I received from my teachers was outstanding and with the large building and 44 classrooms not to hear any complaints and only praise speaks volumes!" - Karrie Diol Principal, Robert Crown Elementary Wauconda, IL
The text of Assembly Bill no. 2016
The people of the state of California do enact as follows:
51900.6.
(a) (1) The state board shall, based upon recommendations by the Superintendent, consider including age-appropriate content for kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention in the next revision of the health content standards.
(2) The state board shall, based upon recommendations by the Instructional Quality Commission, consider including information in sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention in the Health Framework for California Public Schools when next revised.
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