HOFFMAN ESTATES – Sexual abuse victim Erin Merryn scored an important victory in her campaign to require schools to have sexual assault and abuse prevention and awareness programs on Thursday, when Gov. Pat Quinn signed Erin's Law in her home state of Illinois.

The law requires all Illinois public schools to have age-appropriate curriculum for grades pre-kindergarten through high school.

"We're talking about a silent epidemic," Merryn, 27, of Schaumburg, said in an interview before the bill signing at a children's advocacy center in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates.