The Joint Standing Committee on Education heard updates on the West Virginia State Task Force, which was established to combat sexual abuse of children in the state.
The committee met Monday afternoon as part of the final interim meetings before the 83rd West Virginia legislative session begins on Wednesday.
Kate Flack, the executive director of the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network, addressed the committee, reflecting progress made last year in preventing sexual abuse of West Virginia students.
“I’m here to represent West Virginia children,” Flack said. “One in 10 of who are victims of sexual abuse before they turn 18.”
Last year, the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network worked in tandem with five state-based action groups and educational interests to fight for two pieces of legislation that ultimately passed unanimously in the House and Senate. House Bill 4402 and Senate Bill 465 were introduced last year with bipartisan sponsorship.
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House Bill 4402 created the Body Safety Education, which establishes training protocol within West Virginia schools and educational programs.
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Senate Bill 465 puts a stipulation on how facilitators report child sexual assault. Whereas the previous law required 48 hours to report, the bill requires a more stringent and rapid reportage time limit of 24 hours.
The West Virginia Child Advocacy Network, the West Virginia Association of Middle and Elementary School Principals, Step-by-Step, and many other advocacy organizations worked with legislators including Delegate Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, and Sen. Kenny Mann, R-Monroe –both of whom helped move these legislative initiatives forward.
Mickey Blackwell, the executive director of West Virginia Association of Middle and Elementary School Principals, commended the legislature for their cooperation in this matter.
“We started this mission with a lot of momentum, and then we flat-lined for a bit,” Blackwell said. “Delegates such as Espinosa and Mann helped pick the issue back up and we got a lot done in the last legislative session.”
Although the speakers said they were grateful for existing legislation that works to increase reportage efficiency and training, they also acknowledged there is more they want to accomplish.
Michael Tierney, director of Step by Step and Youth Serving Organization Action Group, talked about needed improvements to address sexual abuse in the state. He referred to the fact that many educational organizations, including 4H, don’t have the same access to training as K-12 schools and public universities. Tierney said more effort is needed to address these institutions to better equip them to deal with child sexual assault in the state. He also spoke on how the training attempts to communicate to children about sexual assault.
“Kids don’t need vague warnings about ‘stranger danger,’” Tierney said. “This makes children responsible for who is good and bad, and that’s our job as the grown-ups. We need to teach kids that they have the right to say no.”
Michelle Blatt, assistant state superintendent, said a lot of progress has been made in training improvements since House Bill 4402 was passed. However, the standing committee is still working with the task forces to improve outreach and training strategies to best reach out to victimized children.