Definition

Self-reported child sexual abuse data is retrospective data collected from adults via three questions in the Utah BRFSS Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Module and youth via the Utah YRBS tier 2 ACEs and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) questionnaire. Adult prevalence is looking retrospectively at their whole childhood (<18), while youth prevalence only looks back at the previous 12 months.

Numerator

The number of youth or adults who indicated at least one instance of sexual abuse on the YRBS (2021) or BRFSS (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020).

Denominator

The total number of youth or adults who provided any response to the sexual abuse question/s on the YRBS (2021) or BRFSS (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020).

Data Interpretation Issues

BRFSS (Adults) 1. How often did anyone at least 5 years older than you or an adult, ever touch you sexually? Would you say? 2. How often did anyone at least 5 years older than you or an adult, try to make you touch them sexually? Would you say? 3. How often did anyone at least 5 years older than you or an adult, force you to have sex? Would you say? (Possible answers: Never, Once, More than once; questions refer to the time period before the respondent was 18 years of age) YRBS (Youth) During the past 12 months, how many times did anyone force you to do sexual things that you did not want to do? (Count such things as kissing, touching, or being physically forced to have sexual intercourse.) (Possible answers: 0, 1, 2 or 3, 4 or 5, or 6+) Response options from both surveys were dichotomized into whether or not sexual abuse occurred at all. The responses are subjective, however, the subjective reality is what seems to matter when considering the potential for long-term negative impacts.

Why Is This Important?

All types of child abuse represent a threat to public health. Child sexual abuse is one of eight commonly tracked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and research into child abuse and neglect (CAN) and ACEs has consistently shown the potential for many negative long-term impacts on health, opportunity, and well-being. Tracking child abuse prevalence is a complicated task and some of the best data available are self-reported retrospective data which gives a more complete view of prevalence over child protective services or hospital data.

Healthy People Objective: Reduce nonfatal child maltreatment

U.S. Target: 8.5 maltreatment victims per 1,000 children

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

When comparing BRFSS data, the prevalence of sexual child abuse in Utah is higher than nationally (13.9% or ~1 in 7 vs 11.6% or ~1 in 9). National prevalence comes from a 2018 Merrick, et al. study that included 2011-2014 BRFSS data from 23 states, while Utah prevalence is from the ACEs Module included in the Utah BRFSS in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020. Source: Merrick, M.T., Ford, D.C., Ports, K. A., Guinn, A. S. (2018). Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences From the 2011-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 23 States. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(11), 1038-1044.

Female adults indicated a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than male adults (~1 in 5 vs ~1 in 12). Female youth also indicated a similar significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse in the last 12 months than male youth (also ~1 in 5 vs ~1 in 12).

Data Notes

Adult/BRFSS and youth/YRBS sexual abuse data are each collected with different questions that include different time frames. The sexual abuse question utilized in the YRBS has only been asked one time in 2021, while the BRFSS question has been asked in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

11th-grade youth respondents indicated the highest prevalence of sexual abuse in the last 12 months, significantly higher than the overall youth prevalence (~1 in 5 vs ~1 in 7). Adults 35-49 and 50-64 indicated a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the overall state adult prevalence (~1 in 6 vs ~1 in 7) and adults 18-34 and 65+ indicated a significantly lower prevalence of sexual abuse than the overall state adult prevalence (~1 in 8 and 1 in 9 vs ~1 in 7).

Data Notes

Adult/BRFSS and youth/YRBS sexual abuse data are each collected with different questions that include different time frames. The sexual abuse question utilized in the YRBS has only been asked one time in 2021, while the BRFSS question has been asked in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

Adults who indicated Black/African American (Non-Hispanic), Unknown, or American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic) had a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than all races and ethnicities together (~1 in 4 and 1 in 5 vs ~1 in 7).

Data Notes

Analysis by race and ethnicity only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults who indicated a sexual orientation other than heterosexual (homosexual, bisexual, or other) had a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 4 vs ~1 in 8).

Data Notes

Analysis by sexual orientation only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults who indicated any type of disability (cognitive, mobility, self-care, independent living, difficulty seeing/blind, or difficulty hearing/deaf) all had a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence and than adults with no disability (~1 in 3-4 vs ~1 in 8).

Data Notes

Analysis by disability type only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults with an education level less than a high school or some post high school indicated a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the overall state adult prevalence (~1 in 6 vs ~1 in 7), while adult college graduates indicated a significantly lower prevalence than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 10 vs ~1 in 7).

Data Notes

Analysis by education only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults who indicated a household income of <$25,000 a year had a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 5 vs ~1 in 7), while adults with household incomes of $75,000+ indicated a significantly lower prevalence than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 8 vs ~1 in 7).

Data Notes

Analysis by income only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults in Summit County and TriCounty had a significantly lower prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the state prevalence (~1 in 10 and 1 in 9 vs ~1 in 7).

Data Notes

Analysis by geography only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults in the Utah Small Areas of Layton/South Weber, South Salt Lake, Kearns V2, Taylorsville (East)/Murray (West), and Orem (North) had a significantly higher prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 4-6 vs ~1 in 7). Adults in the Utah Small Areas of Tremonton, Bountiful, Salt Lake City (Avenues), Salt Lake City (Foothill/East Bench), Millcreek (South), Millcreek (East), West Jordan (Southeast), Sandy (Center) V2, Draper, Park City, Daggett, and Uintah County, and Delta/Fillmore had a significantly lower prevalence of sexual abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 10-20 vs ~1 in 7).

Data Notes

Analysis by geography only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.