SAN ANTONIO – A federal bill that just made it to President Biden’s desk is being called a beacon of hope in preventing and stopping child abuse.
It’s called the Jenna Quinn Bill, named after the survivor who took a stand after repeated child abuse.
“It feels like something that harmed me, and my family is now being used as a source of blessing not just in my life but the lives of millions of others. It really shows that evil does not get to have the final say in a survivor’s life,” Quinn said.
That harm happened during Quinn’s childhood.
“I was sexually abused for many years, many times, and really suffered in silence. I was threatened by the perpetrator with intimidation, so I know what it’s like to live in that place of darkness. You believe all those lies that the predator tells you that if you tell, such and such is going to happen,” Quinn said.
Quinn said if the loved ones around her had been taught what to look for, they might have been able to intervene, but conversations about child sexual assault were non-existent.
“I had all of those red flag indicators: I had post-traumatic stress, I was depressed, I was suicidal, I had insomnia and night terrors, anxiety, I had low self-esteem,” Quinn said.
After her eventual outcry and family counseling, Quinn and her mom began their mission to require training for educators, counselors, and students.
The funding became known as Jenna’s Law and was passed in many states, including Texas, where Quinn lives and grew up.
However, there has never been a federal bill until now.
“The Jenna Quinn bill is using a Texas law that’s named after a hero of mine. Jenna Quinn who used her tragedy really to try to make sure other children were not similarly subject to abuse,” said U.S. Senator John Cornyn.
Cornyn said the states with Jenna’s Law don’t always get enough funding, so he helped draw up the Jenna Quinn Bill, which would mandate funding for this training nationwide.
The training would teach signs of abuse and how to report it.
“Why children are perhaps acting differently, their studies have suffered, maybe their appearance has changed, they’ve lost weight, they’re distracted,” Cornyn said.
Many different organizations across Texas provide that training.
“We have an online training platform where we can do face-to-face. A lot of the school districts locally wind up choosing to do the online training, so they can do it on their own timeframe,” said Randy McGibeny, the CEO of ChildSafe in San Antonio.
ChildSafe provides full child abuse prevention and treatment services, which include training that meets Jenna’s Law requirements.
They train not only adults in education systems but also the students themselves.
“We teach children how to recognize and report child abuse, but we also teach them how to protect themselves, protect their bodies as well,” McGibeny said.
He said there are age-appropriate lessons for different grades.
“We’re teaching young children how to use appropriate language. First, they have to understand that they are being abused and then what language to put around that. And so we always use appropriate anatomical body parts,” McGibeny said.
For older kids and young adults, ChildSafe has free online training about internet use, sexting, and even trafficking.
“This selfie issue and sexting is happening. So, how do you respond to that as a teenager when something like that happens? What are the laws really centered around that?” McGibeny said.
“With the internet, gaming, and apps, we have to train our children and youth on red flag grooming indicators and what is not appropriate. Teach them, ‘If I do suspect, what is my next step?’ So to watch them report something, block an account, it’s really a beautiful thing,” Quinn said.
Quinn said there’s proof that it’s working.
“The research now shows that after a Jenna’s Law training, educators are about four times more likely to report versus their pre-training careers. We also know that student outcries increased as well after students have had body safety training,” Quinn said.
That reporting is more crucial this week, during the holidays when kids are away from school and abuse typically spikes.
“Children go back into the homes where they’re with the abuser, and they’re with the abuser for longer extended periods of time. When you’re at school, you’re safe from the abuser for seven, eight hours a day,” McGibeny said.
McGibeny advises the public to look at the signs of abuse ahead of time and keep an eye out.
“If a child comes and tries to tell you something, don’t shut them down. Listen to them. Don’t investigate; don’t ask them a bunch of questions. Support the child. Let them disclose the information to you freely. And then turn around and report that information immediately to either law enforcement or the state Department of Family Protective Services,” McGibeny said.
Quinn’s greatest pride is empowering survivors who no longer have to stay silent.
“It doesn’t have to define them. They can go on and live beautiful lives and be highly successful regardless of what they’ve been through,” Quinn said.
Signs of child sexual abuse:
- unexplained changes in behavior or personality
- Becoming withdrawn
- Seeming anxious, depressed
- Nightmares, insomnia
- Knowledge of adult issues inappropriate for their age
- Running away or going missing
- Always choosing to wear clothes that cover their body
- Difficulty with trust
- Becoming uncharacteristically aggressive
Who is required to report child abuse?
The updated law now states every single Texan is a mandatory reporter of child abuse. Anyone who even just suspects abuse should call law enforcement or the state to report it. You can choose to remain anonymous when reporting to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
How to report child abuse:
Call your local law enforcement agency. If it is an immediate crisis or abuse is happening, call 9-1-1. If not, you can call the non-emergency number.
- San Antonio Police Department’s non-emergency number: 210-207-7273
- Bexar County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number: 210-335-6000
Contact Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
- Call 800-252-5400, or go online to the state’s 24/7 Texas Abuse Hotline Website
Training Resources:
Learn the signs and symptoms of child abuse on the ChildSafe website’s training section, where they have a large catalog of training sessions for both adults and kids. All sessions are an hour or less.