After release of 2024 child abuse statistics in Utah, DA says any number is too high

SALT LAKE CITY — During fiscal year 2024, Child Protective Services, part of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services, said nearly 8,800 children were victims of child abuse and neglect.

That means that nearly 8,800 kids in Utah suffered from non-accidental harm, sexual exploitation or abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, or endangerment in 2024. 

According to the Utah DCFS report:

• 70.2% of the alleged perpetrators of child abuse or neglect were the victim’s parents,
• the majority of child abuse victims (37.9%) were between 12 and 17 years of age,
• 31% of the victims were between 6 and 11 years of age,

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said the number is just too high.

 

“That is a lot of children who are being neglected and harmed,” he told KSL NewsRadio, “and that is something that we can do something about.”

Ways to help address child abuse in Utah

Indeed, Gill said the county and the state already have ways they are helping to lower that number.

“Creating safe spaces like the Children’s Justice Center,” Gill said, ” … youth services, (and) paying attention to (the) community resources that are available to help families and to help children.”

Related: Utah passes bill that protects children featured on their parents’ social media

One of the most important ways that the public can help is to pay attention to the young people in their lives and in the lives of their friends and colleagues. Gill said there are many types of indicators that a child may be in trouble.

“When you see children who are being groomed, or children who are being harmed, you’ll notice, for example, unexplained injuries, changes in their behavior,” he said.

In some instances, children may revert to behavior they’d previously overcome.

“Like … thumb sucking and bed wetting. … Look look to see if they have a fear of going home. Changes in eating habits, sleeping and differences in school performance,” Gill said.

Resources to combat child abuse

If you suspect that a child is in immediate danger, please call 911. If it is not an emergency, you can call:

• The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children provides support to children who are victims of child sexual exploitation through emotional peer support for families, content removal of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and help getting connected to therapists and attorneys. The NCMEC also provides a CyberTipline where CSAM can be reported. Visit https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/csam-resources for more information. 
• The Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force hosts a hub of resources for parents and offers local help to cases involving child sexual exploitation. 
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides a guide of safety measures to take in order to prevent children from being targeted in CSAM cases. 
• Thorn nonprofit organization creates products and programs that combat child sexual abuse at scale. It provides resources for families to help them identify the possible ways children can be exploited online, giving them proper terminology and statistics to keep them educated. For more information, visit https://www.thorn.org/research/child-sexual-abuse-material-csam/ 

If you are a parent who needs help with your child, these organizations may be able to help: 

• Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
• The Family Support Center has 15 locations throughout the state and offers a free crisis nursery for parents who have to keep appointments or who are stressed out. They also offer counseling and family mentoring. Call 801-955-9110 or visit familysupportcenter.org/contact.php for more information.
• Prevent Child Abuse Utah provides home visiting in Weber, Davis, and Box Elder counties. Parent Educators provide support, education, and activities for families with young children. Their statewide education team offers diverse trainings on protective factors, digital safety, bullying, and child sex trafficking. They are available for in-person or virtual trainings and offer free online courses for the community at pcautah.org.
• The Office of Home Visiting works with local agencies to provide home visits to pregnant women and young families who would like to know more about being parents. Home visitors are trained and can provide information about breastfeeding, developmental milestones, toilet training, nutrition, mental health, home safety, child development, and much more. Find out more at homevisiting.utah.gov.
• The Safe Haven law allows birth parents in Utah to safely and anonymously give up custody of their newborn child at any hospital in the state, with no legal consequences and no questions asked. The child’s mother can drop off the child, or the mother can ask someone else to do it for her. The newborns should be dropped off at hospitals that are open 24 hours a day. Newborns given up in this manner will be cared for by the hospital staff, and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services will find a home for the child. For more information, visit utahsafehaven.org or call the 24-hour hotline at 866-458-0058.

Follow @SimoneSeikaly