“I spent four years investigating these cases—and only these cases. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this legislation. There was nothing more heartbreaking than listening to kids tell their stories. They had no idea they were being abused. It was common. It was normal. It was routine. That was all they knew. And for those who did know, they didn’t know what to do—because it was often the people they trusted most who were committing the abuse.”

“This is easily the most impactful thing we will do today—if not one of the most important of the entire session.”

“I’m here not only to support this bill, but to beg and plead for your support. As a victim of child sexual abuse, I can tell you from my own story what I would have given for the tools and knowledge to defend myself. As an eight-year-old child, I was in the safety of my own home, curled up in the comfort of my own bed, when my oldest brother-in-law would wake me in the middle of the night. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Our children deserve the right to be protected.”

“The idea of being so open and honest about such a difficult topic almost felt unnatural—like a dream. Could we actually talk about this? Could we teach this to kids, and maybe even prevent what happened to me?”