Child Sexual Abuse, Dating Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention

Requirements for Ohio Schools 

Ohio’s prescribed curriculum for health education includes requirements related to child sexual abuse prevention, dating violence prevention, and sexual violence prevention. The law includes requirements for student instruction, parent, and legal guardian notification and training for school personnel. 

This webpage outlines the legislative requirements for Ohio schools and provides curricula, instructional supports, and resources to assist school districts in meeting these requirements. 

Click a topic below to go directly to that section: 

• Health Education Requirements  
• Child Sexual Abuse Prevention 
• Dating Violence Prevention Education and Sexual Violence Prevention Education 
• Parent and Legal Guardian Notification 
• In-Service Requirements  

Health Education Requirements  

Ohio law requires developmentally appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse prevention and dating and sexual violence prevention be included in schools' prescribed curriculum. Community schools and STEM schools are also required to provide instruction on these topics. 

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION 

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, schools are required to provide developmentally appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse prevention to students in grades K through 6. Instruction is to occur annually and include information on available counseling and resources for children who are sexually abused. Instruction and information provided cannot be connected in any way to any individual, entity, or organization that provides, promotes, counsels, or makes referrals for abortion, or abortion-related services.  

• Child sexual abuse prevention is to occur annually for students in grades K through 6. If health education is not offered annually for each grade, the instruction may be provided in another subject.  
• The provider of the child abuse prevention instruction will depend on the curriculum that the school selects. Some curricula are developed in a manner that allow teachers to deliver the content to students. Other curricula may require a certified or trained facilitator to deliver a specific program. Schools should contact the curriculum or program developer with questions. 

Upon written request of the student's parent or guardian, a student shall be excused from taking instruction in child sexual abuse prevention. 

Curriculum, Instructional Supports and Resources 

The Department has listed curricula, instructional supports, and resources below to assist schools in meeting the legislative requirements related to child sexual abuse prevention. Schools are not required to select a curriculum listed below; schools selecting a different curriculum must ensure that it meets all legislative requirements. 

• The Council on Child Abuse (COCA) provides educational presentations to assist students in recognizing potentially dangerous situations, safe, and unsafe touches, and the types of child abuse. 
• There is no cost associated with this curriculum for schools in Hamilton County. ​There is a cost associated with this curriculum for schools located outside of Hamilton County. 

• Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe lessons help students learn to prevent, interrupt, and speak up about various types of child abuse, including physical, emotional, sexual, neglect, bullying, and cyber abuse. ​
• ​There is a cost associated with this curriculum. 

• The Zero Abuse Project's Empower Me! Child Abuse Prevention Education Kit is designed to to help facilitate important conversations about personal body safety.
• ​There is a cost associated with this curriculum. 

• Educate to Protect lessons improve student's understanding of appropriate and inappropriate touches and educate students on preventing and reporting sexual abuse.
• ​​There is a cost associated with this curriculum. 

• Fight Child Abuse, a resource provided by the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center Foundation, has various videos on child sexual abuse topics such as safe and unsafe touch.  
• There is no cost associated with this curriculum. 

• The Monique Burr Foundation’s Child Safety Matters educates and empowers children with information and strategies to prevent, recognize, and respond appropriately to bullying, cyberbullying, all types of abuse, and digital abuse dangers. 
• There is a cost associated with this curriculum. 

• The Foundation United has developed SPEAK UP lessons to assist Ohio schools in teaching students how to recognize the red flags of sex trafficking and sexual abuse.
• There is no cost associated with this curriculum. Direct questions to speakup@thefoundationunited.org.

Second Step - Child Protection Unit
Audience: Grades K-5 

• The lessons in Second Step's Child Protection Unit help students recognize, report, and refuse unsafe situations.
• There is a cost associated with this curriculum. 

DATING AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION EDUCATION 

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, schools are required to provide developmentally appropriate instruction in dating and sexual violence prevention education during health education to students in grades 7 through 12. Instruction must include recognizing dating violence warning signs and characteristics of healthy relationships. Instruction and information cannot be connected in any way to any individual, entity, or organization that provides, promotes, counsels, or makes referrals for abortion, or abortion elated services. 

Upon written request of the student's parent or guardian, a student shall be excused from taking instruction in sexual violence prevention. 

Curriculum, Instructional Supports and Resources 

The Department has listed curriculum, instructional supports and resources below, as required by Ohio law, to assist schools in meeting the legislative requirements related to dating and sexual violence prevention. Schools are not required to select a curriculum listed below; schools selecting a different curriculum must ensure that it meets all legislative requirements. 

• The Council on Child Abuse (COCA) provides educational presentations to assist students in recognizing characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships, learning safe dating strategies, and understanding consent. 
• There is no cost associated with this curriculum for schools in Hamilton County. ​There is a cost associated with this curriculum for schools located outside of Hamilton County. 

• Vector Solution's Dating Violence Awareness course is available for students in grades 6-8 and 9-12. The course includes content on elements of healthy relationships, how to set boundaries, behaviors that constitute abuse, and dating violence and strategies for responding to and preventing dating violence.
• There is a cost associated with this program.  

• The Monique Burr Foundation’s Teen Safety Matters prevention education program focuses on bullying, cyberbullying, all types of abuse, relationship abuse, digital dangers, exploitation, and human trafficking. There is a middle school edition and a high school edition of the program.  
• There is a cost associated with this program.  

• Safe Dates is a teen relationship abuse prevention curriculum from Hazelden that equips young people with the tools they need to develop these important life skills. 
• There is a cost associated with this curriculum. 

• The Foundation United has developed SPEAK UP lessons to assist Ohio schools in teaching students how to recognize the red flags of sex trafficking and sexual abuse.
• There is no cost associated with this curriculum. Direct questions to info@thefoundationunited.org. 

• Created by Kidpower, the Teenpower Independence and Healthy Relationships Classroom Lessons teach skills that help students to strengthen relationships with conflict resolution, consent, advocacy, boundary setting, and other communication skills, as well as stay safe from interpersonal harm with strategies for taking charge of safety. 
• There is a cost associated with these lessons. 

PARENT AND LEGAL GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION  

Each school district must notify the parents and legal guardians of students who receive instruction related to child sexual abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention. The notification must include the following information: 

• Instruction in child sexual abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention is a required part of the district's curriculum; 
• Upon request, parents and legal guardians may examine instructional materials (as described below); 
• Upon written request of the student's parent or guardian, a student can be excused from taking instruction in child sexual abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention. 

If the parent or legal guardian of a student less than eighteen years of age submits to the principal of the student's school a written request to examine the dating and sexual violence prevention instruction materials used at that school, the principal, within forty-eight hours after the request is made, shall allow the parent or guardian to examine those materials at that school. 

In-Service Requirements 

Ohio law  requires public schools, educational service centers, community schools and STEM schools to provide in-service training to educate school personnel on a variety of topics. In-service training must incorporate content on child sexual abuse. Law enforcement officers or prosecutors who have experience in handling cases involving child sexual abuse or child sexual violence must present the training.  

• Ohio law states that each person employed by any school district or service center to work in a school as a nurse, teacher, counselor, school psychologist, or administrator must complete in-service training on child sexual abuse.  
• According to Ohio law, in-service training on child sexual abuse must be provided by a law enforcement officer or prosecutor with experience in handling cases involving child sexual abuse or child sexual violence.  
• As defined by Ohio law, a school resource officer (SRO) is a law enforcement officer. To meet the legislative requirements, the SRO must have experience in handling cases involving child sexual abuse or child sexual violence for them to present the in-service training. 
• In-service training on child sexual abuse may be provided in an online format or with online modules so long as the training is provided by law enforcement officers or prosecutors with experience handling cases involving child sexual abuse or child sexual violence.

Last Modified: 4/12/2024 7:00:42 AM