Dear Olympia Family,

As part of Erin’s Law, we will be visiting your child’s classroom over the course of the school year to lead a Healthy Relationships curriculum. Erin’s Law requires public schools to implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program. To read more please visit www.erinslaw.org. The curriculum we will teach consists of five lessons with topics of personal safety, safety with strangers, touching safety, and the safety steps.

The curriculum is adapted from “Talking About Touching” from Committee for Children (cfchildren.org). You can review a brief outline of each lesson by clicking the links on the left.

During our touching safety lessons, students will learn the difference between safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches. Safe touches are described as touches that keep you safe and make you feel cared for and important, such as hugs, handshakes, high-fives, and fist bumps. Unsafe touches are touches that hurt your body or your feelings, such as punches, kicks, pinches, and pushes. Unwanted touches are touches that may not hurt but are unwanted, such as hugs from strangers.

Your student will also learn “The Touching Rule.” This rule says “No one should touch your private body parts unless it is to keep you clean or healthy.” The students are taught private body parts are the parts of your body covered by a swimsuit.

Your student will also learn what to do if someone breaks The Touching Rule, which we call “The Safety Steps.” The Safety Steps are 1. Say words that mean “No!”; 2. Get Away; and 3. Tell a Safe Adult.

We believe it is imperative for your child to not only have these conversations in the classroom but also at home. If you have any questions about how to talk with your child about these topics or about the topics being discussed, please reach out to us, our contact information is listed below.

Sincerely,

Cinnamon Porter (She/Her, They/Them)
Prevention Educator, Stepping Stones
(309) 585-3621 / cporter@ywcamclean.org