Child Sexual Abuse
Statistics tell us that 1 in 7 Utah children is sexually abused by the age of 18, with girls experiencing higher rates of abuse than boys (1 in 5 girls and 1 in 12 boys). Occuring in Utah at higher rates than the national average, child sexual abuse remains largely hidden due to underreporting and public misunderstanding. Over 50% of cases in Utah are perpetrated by another minor or peer, and education in schools is key to prevention. Freeing individuals and society from child sexual abuse and its lasting impacts is one of the most important efforts that Utahns need to embrace to ensure residents experience safety and security—a basic human right. Utah must dramatically decrease the number of incidents of child sexual abuse and support those who have survived such abuse, no matter their current age.
A Bolder Way Forward’s Child Sexual Abuse Spoke is part of The SAFE Coalition, a group of various organizations and individuals across the state that seeks to stop child sexual abuse by changing Utahns’ perceptions of the issue and moving them to act. Together, statewide partners are working to dramatically decrease child sexual abuse in the state of Utah, as well as supporting those who have survived such abuse no matter their current age. Help prevent and end child sexual abuse by visiting the resources below to learn more. Individuals, organizations, and communities can also take specific actions to help. To get engaged, contact The SAFE Coalition by emailing Saprea (Kathy Vegge).
Key Resources
Informational Video
Resource Kit
Research Snapshot
What Utahns Need to Know
Spoke Podcast
Bold Goals
Through collective impact and systems thinking, Utah can improve things by working towards the following goals:
- Pass public policies aligned with best practices and research shown to prevent and reduce child sexual abuse. [Metric Dashboard]
- Fostering collaborative research in Utah to study how healthy relationships can mitigate the negative impacts of child sexual abuse and the potential long-term negative effects of child sexual abuse.
- Expand child sexual abuse prevention education in Utah by connecting individual schools to providers/curriculum options. [Metric Dashboard]
- Increase Utahns’ agreement with the following statements: [Metric Dashboard]
- In your immediate community (e.g., neighborhood, family, faith, club, business), chld sexual abuse is a problem.
- Child sexual abuse is preventable.
- Child sexual abuse is more prevalent in Utah than the national average.
- I know where to find resources to help prevent child sexual abuse.
Jen Dyer (COO, Phase Alliance)
Laurieann Thorpe (Executive Director, Prevent Child Abuse Utah)
Matt Hartvigsen (Executive Director, Saprea)
What You Can Do
Explore information and resources on child sexual abuse in Utah. Share these with others and encourage them to do the same.
Participate in the April Child Abuse Prevention Month by sharing information and resources with others. Help raise awareness through social media posts.
Reach out to a counselor at your elementary school and encourage child sexual abuse prevention education curricula in their school.
Community Partners
Nonprofit using proven, practical methods for confronting and overcoming child sexual abuse. Saprea empowers survivors, parents, and community members with the knowledge needed to protect, heal, and put a stop to child sexual abuse.
Through initiatives including education programs on abuse recognition and reporting for both children and adults, evidence-based home visiting support for parents, and more, Prevent Child Abuse Utah is dedicated to protecting Utah children.
Prevention and Healing Against Sexual Exploitation (PHASE) represents two nationally recognized organizations (Fight the New Drug and the Malouf Foundation) working together to address sexual exploitation through prevention and healing programs.
GenerationAll works to drastically minimize the generational impact of sexual violence through advocacy and healing. They focus specifically on the generational trauma that sexual violence can have on families and loved ones.
A division of the Attorney General's Office, the Program supports the operations of local CJCs, ensuring that children receive evidence-based services during child abuse investigations in a safe, homelike environment designed to reduce trauma.
UCPC is a multidisciplinary statewide coalition committed to ensuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all Utah’s children. This cross-sector coalition focuses on addressing societal-level challenges through policy and programs.