By Omny Miranda Martone | Founder and CEO
The Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA) applauds President Joe Biden and Congress for passing the Jenna Quinn Law, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, and the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act. These three pieces of legislation are vital for preventing sexual violence.
The Jenna Quinn Law will prevent child sexual abuse by providing funding for vital prevention programs. This bill authorizes existing grant funds to be used to train and educate students, teachers, school employees, caregivers, and other adults who work with children on sexual abuse prevention. The legislation was named after Jenna Quinn, a Texan who survived abuse as a young child and is now a vocal advocate. There are many streams of funding available for addressing child sexual abuse but there are limited funding streams for its prevention. We owe it to children nationwide to adequately fund both prevention and support services. This bill is a step in the right direction, ensuring funding for sexual violence prevention across the country.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act will require colleges to improve reporting and prevention of hazing on campus. Currently, hazing is very common, with more than 50% of students involved in some form. A significant portion of these harms include hazing-induced sexual violence. This bill is vital for creating a standard definition of hazing, providing transparency and accountability, tracking the issue, and helping educators take action. This bill will ensure students and campus stakeholders are educated about hazing, know how to report it, and possess skills to help prevent it. The Stop Campus Hazing Act will prevent hazing-induced sexual violence on college campuses across the U.S.
The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act will safeguard the health and well-being of youth in residential programs across the United States. Currently, sexual violence is rife in these programs due to the lack of transparency and oversight. This bill will prevent sexual violence by requiring these programs to adhere to protective standards and transparency measures. It would establish an interagency Federal Work Group on Youth Residential Programs to research and implement best practices, disseminate guidelines, provide education for administrators, and provide oversight. By strengthening inter-agency coordination, increasing transparency and accountability, and paving the way for future systemic improvements, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act will prevent sexual violence against thousands of youth in residential programs.
The SVPA proudly endorsed the Jenna Quinn Law, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, and the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act. Keep up to date with our legislative advocacy by following us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
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