Oklahoma Schools Will Teach Sexual Assault Prevention
Oklahoma schools will soon teach students sexual assault preventions in an effort to change the system, and in some cases to intervene before any act takes place.
Recently, a bill was signed by Governor Mary Fallin. The bill made it mandatory for schools to include sexual assault prevention in their curriculum.
According to Norman Transcript, the bill states that legislation must include, “adding duty to develop a rape or sexual assault response program for students and school staff, providing an effective date and declaring an emergency.”
In addition teachers will be taught how to “identify child abuse and neglect, including child sexual abuse, and how to properly report it.” The students will learn, “How to identify dangerous situations, personal boundary violations, how to refuse approaches and invitations, how to summon help, and what to do if abuse occurs.”
#YesAllDaughters (@ Oklahoma State Capitol – @okgov in Oklahoma City, OK) https://t.co/mZndfD6DVL pic.twitter.com/ncOsV2IC5r
— Christina (@khrysteenah) June 10, 2015
Governor Mary Fallin wasn’t alone in making this bill happen. In fact, Rep. Claudia Griffith, who is a registered nurse, was present when the bill was introduced back in January.
Back then, Griffith described a particular situation she had encountered while providing assistance to a rape victim. “I had to move (the victim) up to a floor. This was prior to SANE nursing. I was not trained in the emotional aspects in my own feelings in how to deal with an individual who had been violently assaulted and how I had to deal with my own emotions.”
In addition to Mary Fallin and Claudia Griffith, YES ALL Daughters were present in January. YES ALL Daughters is a grassroots group made in Oklahoma in response to allegations that a student, Tristen Kole Killman-Hardin, from Normal High School had raped three of his classmates and bullied others. Although no charges have been made against the student, this bill puts into motion important prevention.
As for YES ALL Daughters, they are slowly seeing change thanks to their quick actions. On the community’s Facebook page, they highlight the bill.
“Because of our effort, a local legislator introduced an amendment to the School Bullying Prevention Act that would expand the Safe School Committee responsibilities to include sexual assault prevention and response education.”
Do you think every school across the nation should be equipped with this curriculum?
[Image via Twitter / Change.org]
