Why does Portage County have so much child sex abuse?
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2026 2:48 pm
https://eu.record-courier.com/story/new ... 969601007/
According to statistics compiled by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Portage County has seen an uptick in recent years of child sex abuse intakes, or new cases.
From Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31. 2020, an average of 278 cases were reported per year, including 296 cases in 2018 and 266 in 2019. According to the 2010 census, 1 new case of child sexual abuse was reported for every 581 residents.
From 2021 to 2025, cases ranged between 307 in 2021 to 374 in 2024. Through Dec. 30, 368 cases have been reported for 2025.
The county has seen about a 26% increase over the previous five-year average. Based on the 2020 census, there was 1 new case for every 462 residents.