Practical guidance, warning signs, and vetted resources to help parents, schools, and communities prevent and respond to child sexual abuse.
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→ The Problem of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)
What is Child Sexual Abuse?
Impacts of Abuse
Special Considerations: Situations That Require Additional Awareness
Toolkit for Educators & School Leaders
→ The Problem of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)
The Problem of Child Sexual Abuse
What is Child Sexual Abuse?
As parents, our primary instinct is to protect our children, yet a stark and dangerous gap exists between our community’s perception and the reality of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) right here in Utah. Defined as engaging in sexual acts or behavior with a minor, or exposing them to such behaviors, CSA is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of forceful, coercive, or exploratory contact and non-contact behaviors committed by an adult, adolescent, or even another child. This is undeniably a profound problem in Utah, and passive silence is no longer a viable shield for our kids.
To bridge this gap and safeguard our families, we must urgently get on board with evidence-based CSA prevention education in Utah schools. Currently, 69.6% of Utahns state they do not even know where to find resources to help prevent child sexual abuse, leaving our communities highly vulnerable and unequipped to protect the next generation (UWLP, 2025). Bringing vetted, age-appropriate prevention education into the classroom provides children with the safety vocabulary they desperately need and ensures that parents are no longer left in the dark. By supporting these vital programs in our schools, we can shatter the statistics, dismantle the silence, and build a proactive, protective wall around every child in Utah.
1 in 7 Utah children are sexually abused before the age of 18, but only 43% of Utahns think that CSA is an active problem in their community.
Impacts of Abuse
Because children rarely disclose abuse immediately, parents must remain vigilant regarding physical, behavioral, and digital shifts that indicate a child requires urgent support. Unaddressed trauma causes severe physical and mental health challenges that persist into adulthood. Knowing the warning signs and long-term impacts allows parents to intervene early and change the trajectory of a child's life.
Learn more about the warning signs of abuse in the section on Protecting Your Child.
According to clinical data, sexual abuse survivors face drastically elevated lifetime risks such as:
↑ 40%
high school drop-out rates
4 x
more likely to develop PTSD
3 x
higher risk of suicide attempt
4 x
more likely to face addiction
More Information
10 Facts About Child Abuse (National Children’s Advocacy Center)
Child Sexual Abuse: What Utahns Need to Know (Utah Women & Leadership Project)
Prevention (US Department of Justice)
Conversation Guide: Child Sexual Abuse in Utah (Living Room Conversations)
Community Education Classes (Saprea)
Child Sexual Abuse Material: The Facts (National Children’s Advocacy Center)
Data Sources
Long-term Physical Health Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Meta-Analytic Review (Journal of Pediatric Psychology)
Child Sexual Abuse Statistics (Utah Women & Leadership Project)
Situations That Require Additional Awareness
Child sexual abuse can occur in a variety of circumstances, and some situations present unique challenges for prevention, recognition, and response. Circumstances such as child-on-child sexual behavior, the increased vulnerability of children with disabilities or other special needs, and online exploitation including sextortion may require additional awareness and specialized resources. Understanding these situations can help parents recognize risk factors, respond appropriately to concerns, and better protect children in both in-person and online environments.
The resources below provide information on these special circumstances, common warning signs, and practical strategies for prevention, safety, and support.
1 in 3 children with disabilities has experienced physical, emotional, or sexual violence.
When a Child Harms Another Child
More than 50% of child sexual abuse cases in Utah are perpetrated by other minors, this is called Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse (COCSA). Concerning sexual behaviors between children can be difficult for families to understand and address. While some sexual behaviors may be developmentally expected, behaviors that are coercive, persistent, involve significant age or developmental differences, or cause harm require immediate attention and support. It is important to remember that children who engage in harmful sexual behaviors are still children and often need guidance, assessment, and intervention rather than shame or labels.
The resources below provide information on recognizing problematic sexual behaviors, understanding contributing factors, and identifying appropriate next steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all children involved.
More Information
What is COCSA? (Saprea)
Why a Child May Sexually Harm Another Child (Stop it Now)
Do Children Sexually Abuse Other Children? (Stop it Now)
Responsible Behavior with Youth & Children (Moore Preventing Child Sexual Abuse)
Higher-Risk Populations
Research involving more than 16 million young people across 25 countries found that 1 in 3 children with disabilities has experienced some form of violence — physical, emotional, or sexual — and 1 in 10 has experienced sexual violence specifically. Children with cognitive or learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism face the highest rates among all disability groups. Despite this elevated risk, most existing CSA prevention curricula are not designed to meet the learning, communication, and support needs of students with disabilities.
The Policy Project, in partnership with prevention providers, special education professionals, and research partners, is actively working to develop adaptable CSA prevention materials that can be taught to students of all abilities. This work is in development, with pilot implementation planned. Resources currently available for families and educators are listed below.
More Information
How to Talk to Your Child to Reduce Vulnerability to Sexual Abuse - For Parents of Children with Disabilities (Stop It Now)
CSA Prevention Tools for Children with Disabilities (Stop It Now)
Children with Disabilities and Sexual Abuse: Risk Factors and Best Practices (American Bar Association)
One in Three Children with Disabilities Has Experienced Violence: Global Study (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health)
Free Body Safety Communication Cards (The Mama Bear Effect)
Online Safety: Child Sexual Abuse Material and Sextortion
Online exploitation is a growing concern for families across Utah. Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) is formally defined under Utah Law as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor.
Children and teens are growing up in a digital world where exposure to pornography, online grooming, and sextortion has become increasingly common. These experiences can impact a child's safety, relationships, mental health, and understanding of healthy boundaries. Open communication, digital safety education, and ongoing parental involvement can help reduce risks and prepare children to navigate online environments safely.
The resources below provide information on preventing exposure to harmful online content, recognizing warning signs of grooming and sextortion, responding to concerns, and teaching children and teens how to protect their privacy and seek help when something feels wrong.
More Information
What Is Sextortion? (Saprea)
FBI Tips to Reduce Sextortion (Saprea)
Protection Against Sextortion (Saprea)
Safe Use of Technology Video (Utah State Board of Education)
Online Safety Parent Resource Kit (Childhelp)
Navigating a Hypersexualized World and Reducing Pornography Exposure (Saprea)
What is Grooming? (Saprea)
CSAM Fact Sheet (National Children's Advocacy Center)
Coping with Child Sexual Abuse Material Exposure (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)
Raise Online Parenting App (Impact Suite & The Malouf Foundation)