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March 2025

*** Legislation Alert ***

Pass the Prevention Package in Massachusetts!

Dear Advocates to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse,

The 2025-2026 Massachusetts Legislative Session is ramping up and several
child sexual abuse-related bills have been filed. Enough Abuse has been
working closely with legislators, advocates and survivors to ensure these
bills make it to the finish line this year. With your support, we can
ensure that Massachusetts children and youth are protected from the trauma
of sexual abuse and its consequences for their health, mental health and
academic success.

For the latest summary of the prevention bills, [2]c[3]lick here[4]. For a
flyer that highlights the specific school-related "Prevention Package"
bills, [5]c[6]lick here.

Here are three ways you can add your voice to the “Pass the Prevention
Package!” call for action.

* Plan to attend Public Hearings: CSA prevention bills will be heard by
the specific Committee to which the bill was assigned, i.e. Judiciary,
Education or Children and Families. Once a Hearing is scheduled, anyone can
come to the MA State House that day to provide in-person testimony or to
submit their written testimony. Those unable to travel to Boston can
present their remarks virtually the day of the hearing, but are required to
register earlier. Enough Abuse will distribute to every advocate that
attends a Public Hearing their very own “Prevention Paddle,” which will
showcase the broad and strong support that exists for these bills. Please
[7]email us if you plan to attend a Hearing and reserve your Prevention
Paddle!

* Prepare testimony in support: If you plan to testify, you can draft
your testimony now, keeping in mind the 3-minute time limit, and the need
to state the bill number and name of the bill you are supporting. Explain
why this legislation is important to you and how it will make a difference
in your school, youth organization, city or town. Please [8]email us if you
plan to submit testimony, so we can send you a reminder as soon as the date
for the Public Hearing is announced.

* Find your legislator: After the "Prevention Package" bills have been
heard, they will need to be moved favorably out of committee. That will be
the time to reach out to your State Senator and Representatives to urge
them to support the bills. You can email or call their Beacon Hill offices
or, even better—meet them at their local District Offices. [9]Click here to
find the location of the District Office and the days and times your
legislators are available there to meet constituents.

Specifically, the "Prevention Package" Bills would:

1. Require child sexual abuse prevention education for staff and students
of schools and youth organizations, and the adoption of a comprehensive
Code of Conduct.

2. Enhance screening of new school employees for histories of sexual
misconduct/abuse and prohibit the practice of “passing the trash.”

3. Criminalize sexual abuse of youth by adults in “Positions of
Authority,” including school employees, and close the "age of consent
loophole" that now prevents prosecution of abusers who target children
16-18 years of age.

4. Eliminate the civil and criminal Statute of Limitations for child sexual
abuse cases, so survivors have the opportunity to get justice in the
courts.

5. Criminalize the creation, possession and distribution of “Child Sexual
Abuse Material” (CSAM), including sexually explicit images/videos of
children that are generated or modified using the latest technology,
including AI.

For more information about the background of these bills, including links
to the current bill language, [10]click here to visit our Citizens to
Prevent Child Sexual Abuse webpage.

Passing bills, even those that face little or no opposition, can be
daunting. By banding together, we can create a powerful megaphone to ensure
that these crucial bills become law and that children can be better
protected from sexual abuse and exploitation.

The fight continues...

Jetta Bernier, Executive Director

ENOUGH ABUSE®, formerly Massachusetts Citizens for Children, dba MassKids,
is the nation’s oldest citizen-based child advocacy organization, with a
6-decade history of improving the lives of vulnerable children. We prevent
the sexual abuse of children in their homes, communities and online through
prevention trainings, education and advocacy.

[11]Donate

Contact ENOUGH ABUSE®
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[15]www.enoughabuse.org - [16][email protected] - [17](617) 742-8555

References

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7. mailto:[email protected]?subject=Pass the Prevention Package!&body=Hello, I would like to attend the legislative hearing in support of the Prevention Package to prevent child sexual abuse in Massachusetts.
8. mailto:[email protected]?subject=Pass the Prevention Package!&body=Hello, I would like to submit testimony in support of the Prevention Package to prevent child sexual abuse in Massachusetts.
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ENOUGH ABUSE®
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