Prevent Child Sexual Abuse

In 2024, The Policy Project helped to pass a law that expands child sexual abuse prevention education to all K-6 students in Utah.

IN THIS TOOLKIT

For Parents & Caregivers

  • The Problem of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)

  • CSA Prevention Education in Utah Schools

  • Finding Support & Resources

  • Responding to Concerns

  • After an Incident

  • Advocacy Tools

The Problem of 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, yet only 43% of Utahns report thinking 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. When abuse is left unaddressed, the trauma ripples across a survivor's entire life, heavily compromising their well-being. Knowing the warning signs and long-term impacts allows parents to intervene early and change the trajectory of a child's life.

Warning Signs of Abuse

  • Physical Red Flags: Look for bleeding, bruises, swelling, or pain around the genitals; torn or stained underwear; or sudden trouble sitting or walking. Frequent urinary tract or yeast infections are also key indicators.

  • Behavioral Shifts: Watch for sudden changes in hygiene (like avoiding baths or bathing excessively), severe nightmares, bed-wetting, severe sleep or eating disturbances, or an acute fear of being alone.

  • Emotional & Academic Distress: Be alert to self-harm or suicidal thoughts, withdrawal from friends and loved activities, falling grades, frequent school absences, or running away.

  • Subtle Red Flags: Notice inappropriate sexual behavior or language, regressing to younger behaviors (like thumb-sucking or extreme clinginess), acting overly protective or "parenting" younger siblings, or appearing visibly tense around specific individuals.

More information:

Long-Term Cost of Inaction

  • Unaddressed trauma causes severe physical and mental health challenges that persist long into adulthood. According to clinical data, survivors face drastically elevated lifetime risks of the following:

  • High school drop-out rates increase by as much as 40% for sexual abuse survivors.

  • Survivors are 4 times more likely to develop PTSD and 3 times more likely to experience a major depressive episode as an adult.

  • The risk of a suicide attempt by children who experience sexual abuse increases by 3 times.

  • Survivors are 4times more likely to struggle with drug addiction, with 1 in 5 developing an illicit substance dependence before the age of 30.

Resources

Data Sources