A sexual child abuse survivor who achieved a successful career as a university basketball coach, Beckie Francis is a passionate advocate for protecting children and speaking out against abuse whenever it occurs. Beckie Francis recently moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and engaged with a state senator in efforts to get Jolene's Law passed. She testified before the state’s House Committee and Senate Education Committee.

1. By Beckie Francis

2.  A sexual child abuse survivor who achieved a
successful career as a university basketball
coach, Beckie Francis is a passionate advocate
for protecting children and speaking out
against abuse whenever it occurs. Beckie
Francis recently moved to Sioux Falls, South
Dakota, and engaged with a state senator in
efforts to get Jolene's Law passed. She
testified before the state’s House Committee
and Senate Education Committee.

3.  Introduced in late January of 2014, SB154 sought
to create a task force that would research what
impact sexual child abuse has in South Dakota
and would generate legislative policy
recommendations to resolve the issue. The
Jolene's Law bill was passed by the Senate less
than two weeks later and subsequently earned
passage in the House. On March 14, SB154 was
signed into law. The Jolene's Law Task Force is
named after Sioux Falls resident Jolene
Loetscher, who was sexually victimized as a
child. This issue is pressing throughout the
United States, as 25 percent of girls and more
than 15 percent of boys have fallen victim to
child sexual abuse.