Jolene’s Task Force will continue its work on studying child sex abuse in South Dakota. Governor Dennis Daugaard says the task force will receive funding through a grant under the Department of Health. The House State Affairs committee voted to the end the task force by a 10 to 2 vote. The vote came as a surprise to many because the task force received no opposition during the committee hearing and received wide support throughout the legislature. Senator Deb Soholt chaired the task force which met over a period of four months last year. Soholt says the task force is determined to create meaningful change to help victims and prevent child sex abuse.
"It’s not only possible but highly probable that with further work in this task force that we can really change the landscape of child sexual abuse forever."
Soholt says estimates show 1 in 4 girls and 1 and 6 boys will experience sexual abuse before the age of eight. She says 80% of those victims never tell anyone about their experience.