HOUSTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn joined a roundtable discussion Thursday morning with Houston child abuse prevention advocates, law enforcement, and a survivor of Larry Nassar’s abuse to highlight a new law protecting child survivors at the Children’s Assessment Center.
Officials discussed the Respect for Child Survivors Act, which was signed into law last week, according to a release. The act was inspired by retired Olympic gymnast and survivor McKayla Maroney’s testimony of how she was treated during the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation.
Cornyn also highlighted the importance of the new requirements for the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies to utilize the Multidisciplinary Team model when investigating cases that involve child abuse, according to a release.
Experts shared how the legislation will prevent re-traumatizing victims during the investigation process and support prosecuting the assailants.
Watch the news conference below: