(Radio Iowa) – A nonprofit that works to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect says Iowa needs to do more to help. State data shows child abuse reports have dropped since 2022, but Danica Haas, who heads the Iowa Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Centers, says it doesn’t mean there is less abuse, but that it’s likely under-reported. Haas says a law change has been a challenge to their program because parents have to approve educational programs for their kids.
“If you have a member of the household who’s potentially abusing a child, well, they’re never going to sign that permission slip, because they’re not going to want their child to receive that education, to know that what’s happening to them is considered abuse.” The nonprofit works with schools to teach children about neglect, bullying, sexual abuse and other safety concerns. Haas says Iowa should require body safety education in all schools, especially since the vast majority of children personally know their alleged offenders.
Haas says, “We oftentimes will have some communities that will say, ‘Oh, I know that child abuse isn’t happening here, so we don’t need to worry about it,’ and I can tell you that child abuse is happening in all 99 counties in Iowa.” A bill that would have required sexual abuse awareness education for K-through-sixth grade failed to advance in the Iowa legislature this year. Haas says Iowa should require preventative education that teaches children how to identify safety concerns, like physical abuse, neglect or bullying.
