Experts Concerned Over Potential Hidden Epidemic Of Abuse During Pandemic
Apr 19, 2021, 1:57 PM | Updated: 7:56 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and more than 1,800 pinwheels were planted outside Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City in honor of children who died nationwide as a result of child abuse in 2019.
Additionally, doctors with Intermountain Healthcare spoke out about what they have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic during Monday’s event.
National stats for 2020 have not been released, and usually have about a six-to-eight-month delay. However, child protective services agencies nationwide received 4.4 million child abuse referrals for nearly 7.9 million children in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Dr. Antoinette Laskey, division chief of child protection and family health with University of Utah Health and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, said what clinics across Utah and the United States did see in 2020 was a period of no reporting during the shutdown.
“That is frightening. We know child abuse doesn’t just go away. If it were that simple we would have solved this problem decades ago,” said Laskey.
She and others believe abuse simply was not reported.
Generally, Laskey said the number of reported abuse cases in Utah is at a stable rate year-to-year. But that was not the case in 2020.
“Now the cases that were very serious and required hospitalization and needed to be in an ICU those were quiet but started coming back. So the reality is we believe children were at home and didn’t have the safety net, which is normally in place, which is the schools and the other people in their life that they would have as safety nets like their churches and sports activities,” said Laskey.
She added safety nets were not able to see the abuse to report it. Levels of domestic violence rose in 2020 and it is typically not unusual for children to be harmed when two adults have physical combat.
In Utah, everyone is considered a mandated reporter — that means if you see something or are told something by a child about any kind of abuse, you are required to report that abuse.
“It’s all of our duty to report when we suspect there is child abuse or neglect. Reporting is confidential and safe. It will not put you or others at risk or in danger, and it may end up saving a child’s life,” Laskey said.
Child abuse can be reported to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services, local law enforcement or the Child Abuse Neglect Hotline at 855-323-3237.
