When Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, attempted to amend H.B. 286 to have the [child abuse prevention] class become an opt-in for Utah's
students -- the current bill calls for students to have an opt-out option -- multiple lawmakers rose to oppose the amendment and revealed that they themselves had been victims of child-abuse situations.
Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, was the first to reveal that he was a victim of child abuse from someone who was not a member of his family.
Osmond stated that he had a great family but that his experience was not discussed in the home. He said that allowing schools to talk to students about child abuse will help prevent situations like his from happening again.
...Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, also opposed the amendment and described an event that took place when he was in elementary school.
Thatcher spoke about walking to school and following the same route that the other kids in the neighborhood used. On one day though he was walking alone on the route and was attacked by an older man.
"I fought like a demon," Thatcher said. "I screamed my little 70 pound head off."
Thatcher said he was able to make enough noise to gain the attention of another adult who came to his rescue but not before the attacker had ripped the zippers on his jeans off. He said keeping the bill as is, and resisting Dayton's amendment, would allow Utah to teach its students that it was okay to fight back when an adult is attempting to do something they should not be doing.
"This is happening and if we do not act it will continue to happen," he said.
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