Support "Safe Space Day" and Help End Childhood Sexual Abuse

I am a constituent writing to encourage you to declare April 15th "Safe Space Day" to help put an end to child sexual abuse. One in four girls and one in six boys will experience some level of sexual abuse before the age of 18.

Only ten percent of their violators will be strangers, while ninety percent of the sexual violations will be perpetrated by a family member or someone that the victim knows and trusts. Although thirty-nine million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today, over fifty percent of them never tell a soul because of the shame they feel or fear. Silence of survivors enable perpetrators to thrive. Therefore, the most effective way to end child sexual abuse is to support adult survivors in living openly and supporting their healing.

As a concerned citizen, it is my wish that our state recognize April 15th as a special day to support the healing of adult survivors as a way to prevent child sexual abuse raise awareness throughout our state.

This reform serves a dual purpose. First, it allows victims to find public support release the shame of their experience to initiate healing. Second, it can potentially prevent future abuse by publicly exposing abusers who are currently unidentified by encouraging people to look for signs of sexual abuse in children .

I hope that the state of Iowa will take this opportunity to protect our children. As sex crimes against children are especially heinous and the current statistics are unbelievable, it's time we start talking about sexual abuse.

Thank you for your time, your service, and your interest in this issue of vital importance.