Valley residents are speaking out after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill that would’ve required middle and high schools to provide instruction regarding the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence.

"It's not really spoken of,” Shannon Miller said of the subject of abuse. “It's hush hush. They don't like to talk about it but it needs to be talked about."

Abbott vetoed the Senate bill 1109, saying “the bill fails to recognize the right of parents to opt their children out of the instruction."

For women like Miller and San Juan Pena, teaching children about the subject is not a question.

"I think it's very important for them to teach awareness and how to teach them to reach out for help especially with what we're dealing with these days with COVID,” Pena said. “We don't know what happens at home."

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 40% of women in Texas have reported some form of domestic abuse.

In a press release, Abbott said he looks forward to working with the legislature on what he calls a “narrower approach.”