Report Title:

Sexual Violence; Prevention; Education

Description:

Appropriates funds to the department of education to develop and implement a sexual violence prevention curriculum that will feature multiple, age appropriate lesson plans targeted at kindergarten through 12th grade students, a teacher-friendly lesson plan format, and flexible, interactive learning activities for students.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2053

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to sexual violence prevention education.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that children in our community are exposed to sexual violence from a very young age. Researchers estimate that one in four girls and one in six boys will experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of eighteen. The United States Department of Justice reports that forty-four per cent of rape victims are under age eighteen. Sixty-one per cent of victims who sought sex abuse treatment in 2003 were minors at the time of their assault. Four out of five students report experiencing some form of sexual harassment during their middle and high school years.

The legislature also finds that as child sexual and physical abuse continues to escalate in Hawaii, so does the juvenile crime rate, especially among boys. Male abuse victims may be more prone to act out their trauma through violence toward others. In some instances, boys replicate the violence they suffered with violence toward others, including girls, in order to vindicate their masculinity. While females tend to turn their trauma inwards, the results are no less devastating. Symptoms of child sexual abuse include fear and anxiety, sleep disturbances, poor self-esteem, depression with underlying anger and hostility, poor school performance, shame, guilt, and self-destructive behavior.

The legislature also finds that it is necessary to provide our children with the tools necessary to prevent becoming either a victim or perpetrator of sex abuse, how to report sex abuse, and why sexual violence occurs. While the Hawaii health education standards address, in a static way, the causes of unhealthy behaviors, the consequences of choosing them, and abstaining from consensual sex, they do not develop in a dynamic context the skills necessary to avoid committing acts of sexual violence or becoming the victim of such acts.

The legislature also finds that, in the past decade, there have been more than forty published evaluations of child sex assault prevention programs for preschool and elementary school age children. Effective programs have been shown to result in knowledge gains, including the ability to identify inappropriate touch, and increased self-protection skills, such as saying no and a willingness to speak up about abuse. There also have been various published evaluations of sexual assault prevention programs targeting older children and young adults since the 1970's. Hawaii needs a curriculum that covers a range of topics tailored to a student's grade level, from basic lessons on topics such as saying "no" to unwanted touch and speaking up if victimized to more advanced topics such as sexual harassment, date rape drugs, sexual coercion in dating relationships and cultural influences that contribute to sexual violence.

The purpose of this Act is to develop a sexual assault prevention curriculum that will help Hawaii's public school students identify sexually abusive situations, teach them how to protect themselves, and to access help if victimized. It is also the purpose of this Act to encourage students to develop healthy, respectful relationships and to participate in creating a safe, sexual harassment free environment at school.

SECTION 2. (a) The department of education shall develop a sexual assault prevention curriculum as part of its health education curriculum. The curriculum shall feature multiple lesson plans targeted at kindergarten through twelfth grade students, a teacher-friendly lesson plan format, and flexible, interactive learning activities for students.

(b) For preschool and elementary school age children, the curriculum shall:

(1) Use developmentally appropriate language, content, and teaching methods;

(2) Use behavior rehearsal, role playing, and feedback to teach skills;

(3) Provide multiple sessions; and

(4) Use content that focuses on:

(A) Helping children distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touching:

(B) Teaching children self-protection skills;

(C) Stressing body ownership and self-pride;

(D) Emphasizing that the child is never at fault in cases of sex assault; and

(E) Involving parents.

(c) For middle and high school age children, the curriculum shall:

(1) Include a discussion of common rape myths;

(2) Incorporate teaching scenarios that include at least one male victim;

(3) Balance risk reduction strategies with the message that victims are not to blame;

(4) Utilize local statistics;

(5) Focus on healthy behaviors in addition to negative behaviors;

(6) Utilize multiple, interactive learning strategies;

(7) Avoid confrontational approaches that blame males; and

(8) Provide multiple sessions.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for development and implementation of a sexual violence prevention curriculum in compliance with this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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