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Show Child Physical and Sexual Abuse Child abuse and neglect takes many forms, including sexual and physical abuse, physical neglect, non-supervision, and emotional mistreatment. Total numbers of victims of all types of child abuse and neglect in Utah are given in Table 90. Totals include only cases that have been substantiated. These are reported cases that have been investigated and verified to have occurred. Approximately one-third of all investigated cases are substantiated. The annual number of victims has more than doubled since 1983. This may reflect more public awareness about child abuse, and increase in child abuse investigators and reported cases, or an increase in the number of actual victims. National data are not available on child abuse, because states have not agreed on a definition of child abuse/neglect. For example, some states include truancy as neglect. Because of these differences, it is hard to compare Utah abuse victim totals to other states. The annual number of substantial cases of child sexual abuse in Utah more than quadruped from 1983 to 1992. It did decrease from 1992 to 1995 before increasing, again, in 1996. Table 90. Utah Child Abuse Figure 53 All Year Abuse/Neglect Sexual Abuse 1983 4,794 611 1984 5,309 941 1985 5,569 1,065 1986 5,127 1,022 1987 4,976 1,170 1988 6,577 1,513 1989 7,782 1.846 1990 8,524 1,872 1991 10,179 2,316 1992 10,875 2,444 1993 10,976 2,282 1994 10,430 1,982 1995 10,156 2,097 1996 10,826 2,245 Table 90. Source: 1992-1993: Utah Children. 1993, 1994. Key Facts about Children in Utah. 1983-991: Utah Department of Human Services, Division of Family Services (1992, Mar.l). Annual Report 1991. Salt Lake City. Chart 3. Child Abuse/Neglect Victims in Utah DA11 Child Abuse ¦ Sexual Abuse Number of Victims 12000 -I 10000 - 8000 - 6000 - 4000 - n 2000 - 0 - ¦i V V V V 126 |