Ohio & Mahoning Valley - After seven years of fighting for child sex abuse prevention education, "Erin's Law" has officially passed in Ohio.

Ohio may now join 37 other states doing the same.

The woman behind the bill, Erin Merryn, said this would save many Ohio children from abuse.

Erin's Law was passed with bipartisan support. If Governor Mike DeWine signs Senate Bill 288, it will require schools to provide K through 6 students annual "developmentally appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse prevention."

"I know there are kids across Ohio that are being abused and waiting for this education on how to speak up," Merryn said. 

Trumbull County Children Services said this is critical because one in four girls, along with one in about ten boys, are sexually abused.

"Teaching them about their own body autonomy, we know that works," Trumbull County Children Services Executive Director Tim Shaffner said, "and teaching them about the signs, symptoms of grooming and inappropriate behavior from adults, we know it works."

The bill is named after Merryn, a Chicago native. She's made it her mission to fight for sex abuse education across the globe for child victims because, at one point, she was in their shoes.

"No one was educating me on how to speak up," she said, "The only education came from the perpetrator, and that was to keep it a secret."

Merryn was a victim of abuse for years, first when she was six, then abused by a friend's uncle, and once again by a relative. 

She said Ohio was her biggest challenge in getting Erin's Law passed because of opposition from certain organizations.

"I had some roadblocks," she said, "with a Christian organization, I was being told by the sponsors they were really against this."

Parents do have the option to opt out of this education. The bill is now headed to the Governor's desk for his signature before it's signed into law.