Utah has high rates of child abuse, sex abuse of children

[_I have a question]

It's a slightly old article, but given Sam Youngs campaign I think it's relevant.

Utah has a child abuse problem.

At a conference about preventing child abuse, it was reported that Utah ranks eighth in child abuse and first in sex abuse rates of children.

Kit Sumner was sexually abused as a child and he said it has affected his whole life.

"It never really goes away," he said. "It comes out sooner or later."

"The abuse is not only terrible while it's going on, it's not only horrible in itself, but afterwards, it makes them susceptible to further victimization," said Utah's Attorney General Sean Reyes, who addressed the conference.

Numbers show Utah is eighth highest among all states in child abuse. The state had 6,900 cases in 2014. Of those, 27 percent were sex abuse, the highest rate of any state. Only 13 percent of the cases were neglect, one of the lowest rates among all states.

Carrie Jensen of Prevent Child Abuse said Utah has tougher laws than other states and may pursue child abuse more vigorously and that might help explain the high rates.

She wants to make sure help is more available for the victim and to pursue prosecution for the perpetrators.

But child abuse is difficult to count and victims are often unable to speak out or get help.

https://kutv.com/news/local/utah-has-hi ... f-children

[_I have a question]

One in five children are sexually abused in the state, according to Prevent Child Abuse Utah.

However, that this number is rising demonstrates that DCFS is working to combat the problem. Child sexual abuse occurs more often than it is reported to authorities, according to the National Center for Victims of Crime, so high rates of reporting should not be discouraged.

Adults can help by learning to recognize red flags of sexual abuse, which can include inappropriate sexual behavior, regression back to behaviors such as thumb-sucking and bedwetting, separation anxiety, and fear of being left alone with certain individuals, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Parents must get involved in children’s lives, encourage them to speak up and listen to them.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=46355391&nid=1268

[_Mary]

Wow.

[_Res Ipsa]

I think it's really important to avoid letting our attitude toward the LDS church color issues like this one. None of these studies say that Utah has a high rate of abuse. They either measure reports or cases opened. Without knowing the rate of reporting, we can't infer the rate of abuse from these numbers.

Just for example, buried in one of the reports the first article references is this:

In FFY 2011–2012 Utah DCFS reviewed sexual abuse definitions with state attorneys. Additional cases for which sexual abuse may have occurred have been opened as a result. Separate cases have been opened for scenarios in which there were multiple perpetrators involved in one incident as a result of changes to expungement laws, as well. This alteration facilitates the ability to expunge cases. Both of these changes have led to an increase in the number of sexual abuse cases investigated.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/f ... cm2015.pdf (page 219)

The first article also indicates that the combination of Utah's laws and stricter enforcement may have an effect on the rates that cases are opened.

None of this is to say that the LDS church should not adopt best practices for preventing child abuse, and Sam is doing his best to promote those. But I don't think confusing personal biases for evidence helps anyone.

[_I have a question]

I think it's really important to avoid letting our attitude toward the LDS church color issues like this one. None of these studies say that Utah has a high rate of abuse. They either measure reports or cases opened. Without knowing the rate of reporting, we can't infer the rate of abuse from these numbers.

Just for example, buried in one of the reports the first article references is this:

In FFY 2011–2012 Utah DCFS reviewed sexual abuse definitions with state attorneys. Additional cases for which sexual abuse may have occurred have been opened as a result. Separate cases have been opened for scenarios in which there were multiple perpetrators involved in one incident as a result of changes to expungement laws, as well. This alteration facilitates the ability to expunge cases. Both of these changes have led to an increase in the number of sexual abuse cases investigated.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/f ... cm2015.pdf (page 219)

The first article also indicates that the combination of Utah's laws and stricter enforcement may have an effect on the rates that cases are opened.

None of this is to say that the LDS church should not adopt best practices for preventing child abuse, and Sam is doing his best to promote those. But I don't think confusing personal biases for evidence helps anyone.

You can't infer that Utah has a high rate of child abuse because Utah has high rates of reporting child sex abuse - Is that what you're saying? Or that there isn't a connection between the high reporting rates of child abuse and the fact that the states predominant religion is systematically conditioning it's minors to accept as normal when unrelated adult males talk about sexually explicit things with them in a private one to one situation?

[_Mary]

1 in 20 for the UK. 1 in 5 seems extremely high.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abu ... tatistics/

[_Res Ipsa]

1 in 20 for the UK. 1 in 5 seems extremely high.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abu ... tatistics/

Yes, it does. Partly because they are different statistics. The UK is an estimate of how many current children have been abused. The Utah estimate is for 18 year olds that have been abused at any time in their lives. And while the latter appears in big typeface on the linked webpage, there was no link to tell me where that figure comes from.

ETA: I did find this:

In 2015, there were 9,569 victims of abuse or neglect in Utah, a rate of 10.5 per 1,000 children, a a decrease 3.1% from 2014. Of these children, 25.7% were neglected, 41.1% were physically abused, and 21.1% were sexually abused.9

https://www.cwla.org/wp-content/uploads ... ised-1.pdf

Now, check my math on this, but I think that's about 1% of Utah children abused in 2015 (as measured by reports). 20% of that is .2% of children sexually abused. How that number gets extrapolated to 20% of children will be abused over an 18-year period is anybody's guess. You'd have to assume a very high rate of non-reporting to even get to the UK estimate of 5%.

[_ldsfaqs]

Utah has high rates of child abuse, sex abuse of children

Like with the stats on "anti-depressants" Utah because of Mormonism (i.e. the morality and professionalism of the states people) the stats concerning child sexual abuse are likely the most "accurate" in the nation. So it rating "high" doesn't necessarily mean that Utahn's molest more children than many states.

Having lived in several other states, I can tell you for certain that child molestation occurs a LOT more, and it's not reported.

In Russian States, even though good Russians would kill a child molester, child molestation and child porn is highly rampant and accessible to the public.
In other words, their reporting and prosecution system is very poor due to the poor justice system they have as well as moral standards that are a little more free wheeling, primarily due to the poor system.

My point of this is that Utah is likely the best state in the Nation when it comes to reporting things, especially this kind of thing, because tolerance of evil is not exactly in the Latter-day Saint playbook.
Reporting more doesn't mean the same thing as that thing "occurring" more than that thing does in other States.

Anytime Stats are looked at, one needs to consider ALL potential aspects and influencers.
Like with anti-depressants, this stat doesn't mean LDS are a bunch of child molesters moreso compared to others.

FYI

[_Dr. Shades]

Having lived in several other states, I can tell you for certain that child molestation occurs a LOT more, and it's not reported.

Wait, . . . how can you be sure about that, having only lived in other states?

In Russian States, even though good Russians would kill a child molester, child molestation and child porn is highly rampant and accessible to the public.

How do you know this?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Having lived in several other states, I can tell you for certain that child molestation occurs a LOT more, and it's not reported.

Wait, . . . how can you be sure about that, having only lived in other states?

In Russian States, even though good Russians would kill a child molester, child molestation and child porn is highly rampant and accessible to the public.

How do you know this?

Maybe he uses Family Watchdog? For example you can map out, say, Layton, Utah to see what the situation is like if you lived there:

https://www.familywatchdog.us/showmap.asp

- Doc