http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-901911.mp3
Keokuk, IA – There were 258 confirmed reports of child abuse in Lee County in 2009.
The number works out to three cases for every 100 children in the county. The rate is the 4th highest in the state of Iowa.
Elizabeth Moore is the president of the Child Abuse Prevention Council in Lee County. She says a confirmed case of child abuse can mean many things.
Moore says there are no clear signs as to why cases of child abuse are on the rise in Lee County. She says the abuse numbers have been up during good and bad economic times.
Moore says that while 258 cases were reported in Lee County, many more went unreported. She says anyone who suspects a child is being abused should contact their local police department or a representative of the Iowa Department of Human Services.
There were more than 13,000 cases of child abuse in Iowa in 2009.
You can hear more with Elizabeth Moore by clicking the audio link above.