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On August 30, Western Illinois University alumna Erin Merryn will appear in the TLC documentary "Breaking the Silence," which, according to a TLC press release, will focus on "the challenging journey faced by those affected by child sexual abuse, as well as offer useful information where people can turn for help."
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Alumna to Appear in TLC Documentary, "Breaking the Silence" Aug. 30

August 14, 2015

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MACOMB, IL — On August 30, Western Illinois University alumna Erin Merryn will appear in the TLC documentary "Breaking the Silence," which, according to a TLC press release, will focus on "the challenging journey faced by those affected by child sexual abuse, as well as offer useful information where people can turn for help." The show will air at 9 p.m. (central). Get a first look at the documentary on People's website at www.people.com/article/tlc-child-sexual-abuse-documentary-breaking-the-silence-first-look.

This summer Merryn's personal crusade to pass Erin's Law, a law to help protect children from sexual abuse, reached a milestone. Merryn, who earned her bachelor's degree in social work from Western in 2008, achieved the halfway mark in her goal to get a sexual abuse prevention law passed in all 50 U.S. states. In early June, the law passed in Alabama, which was the 25th state to pass it. Since that time, it also passed in Alaska, and in mid-July, the law was introduced at the national level by Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-Mass) and Congressman Joe Heck (R-NV). A video on Rep. Clark's YouTube channel shows Clark introducing the Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Act (youtu.be/TxxzZlye2Ck).

Additionally this month, Merryn will appear in a public service announcement (as part of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation "Speak Truth to Power" series) with a well-known actress.

"On August 16, TLC will start airing the commercial on their network about Erin's Law and the documentary," Merryn said. "And starting August 24, in the public service announcement, I'll appear with actress Julianna Margulies."

Merryn is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and has written three books on the topic since her graduation from Western. In early June, on Erin's Law Facebook page, Merryn posted about her personal push to raise awareness about childhood sexual abuse and to get the law passed in the U.S.

"[Five] years ago was my first day unemployed. I had just resigned from my job as a youth and family counselor. When I handed my boss my letter resigning, he tried to convince me to stay and even handed my letter back to me and said, 'Think about it some more over the weekend. What can I do to make it better here for you?' I explained to him, 'I don't need any more time to think. I have already made up my mind, and I am going after passing a law in Illinois that will require that we teach kids about sexual abuse prevention. I can't work full time and work on this law. Kids' lives are more important to me than a paycheck," she wrote. "Never could have I imagined, when I had that conversation, that five years later that law has now passed in 25 states…. Erin's Law is working. It seems every week now I am getting a phone call from a police department, teacher, counselor, mother, prevention educator, etc., telling me they had a disclosure because a child or children were just taught Erin's Law."

In late May and early June, Merryn provided commentary on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and the Today Show regarding a childhood sexual abuse media story involving a reality television family.

Merryn first spoke to a crowd about her personal sexual abuse at a WIU Take Back the Night rally and march at Hanson Field in 2004 (see www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=7740).

For more information about Erin's Law, visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ErinsLaw.

Posted By: Teresa Koltzenburg (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing