Who is most likely to abuse a child?

The Child Maltreatment 2022 report reveals who is most likely to abuse a child. Most perpetrators are between 25–44 years old, with both men and women involved. Abuse is not limited to strangers, it often occurs within close relationships and across all racial and ethnic groups.

Mark S.
Last updated: June 24, 2026

According to the latest Child Maltreatment 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, the people most often identified as confirmed child maltreatment perpetrators are not strangers. They are most commonly adults known to the child, especially parents and caregivers.

In Federal Fiscal Year 2024, 52 states reported 410,676 unique perpetrators of child abuse and neglect. Most confirmed perpetrators were between 25 and 44 years old, and the majority were parents of their victims.

It is important to understand what this data means. NCANDS defines a perpetrator as a person who was determined to have caused or knowingly allowed the maltreatment of a child. These statistics refer to confirmed child maltreatment perpetrators, not people who were only accused and not substantiated.

These numbers also refer to child abuse and neglect overall. They should not be interpreted as “child molester” statistics only. Sexual abuse is one type of child maltreatment, but the federal perpetrator data includes neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and other confirmed maltreatment types.

Key Statistics

410,676 unique perpetrators of child abuse and neglect were reported nationally.
76.3% of perpetrators were parents of their victims.
69.4% of perpetrators were between ages 25 and 44.
38.7% of perpetrators were ages 25–34, the largest age group.
51.9% of perpetrators were female.
47.0% of perpetrators were male.
1.1% of perpetrators had unknown sex.
1.7% of perpetrators were younger than 18.
89.1% of victims were maltreated by one or both parents when victim-perpetrator relationship data were analyzed.

Most Child Abusers Are Between the Ages of 25 and 44

The Child Maltreatment 2024 report shows that the majority of confirmed child maltreatment perpetrators were adults between 25 and 44 years old. This age group made up 69.4% of perpetrators in 2024.

The largest single age group was 25–34 years old, accounting for 38.7% of all perpetrators. Adults ages 35–44 were the second-largest age group. This pattern reflects the ages when many adults are most likely to be parenting or caring for children.

The report also shows that perpetrators ages 25–34 had the highest adult perpetrator rate, at 3.4 per 1,000 adults of the same age. Adults ages 35–44 had the second-highest rate, at 2.8 per 1,000 adults.

This does not mean that all adults in these age groups are dangerous. It means that among confirmed child maltreatment cases known to CPS agencies, adults in these parenting and caregiving age ranges appeared most often.

Key statistics:

69.4% of perpetrators were ages 25–44.
38.7% of perpetrators were ages 25–34.
Perpetrators ages 25–34 had the highest adult perpetrator rate: 3.4 per 1,000 adults.
Adults ages 35–44 had the second-highest adult perpetrator rate: 2.8 per 1,000 adults.
1.7% of perpetrators were younger than 18.

Most Child Maltreatment Happens Within Close Relationships

One of the most important findings in the federal data is that child abuse and neglect most often occur within close caregiving relationships. In 2024, 76.3% of confirmed perpetrators were parents of their victims.

A related victim-perpetrator analysis found that 89.1% of victims were maltreated by one or both parents. The largest relationship categories were:

Mother acting alone: 37.0%
Father acting alone: 25.0%
Two parents of known sex acting together: 19.3%
Mother and nonparent: 5.4%
Father and nonparent: 1.0%
Other parent categories: 1.3%

This does not mean all parents are unsafe. It means child protection efforts must focus strongly on the environments where children depend on adults for care, supervision, safety, and emotional support.

When identifying signs of abuse or neglect, attention often needs to be directed toward immediate caregivers, household members, and trusted adults—not only strangers.

Key statistics:

- 76.3% of perpetrators were parents.
- 89.1% of victims were maltreated by one or both parents.
- 37.0% of victims were maltreated by mother acting alone.
- 25.0% of victims were maltreated by father acting alone.
- 19.3% of victims were maltreated by two parents acting together.

Where in the United States Are the Highest Rates of Child Abuse?

In 2024, there were 532,228 confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect in the United States. The national victimization rate was 7.2 victims per 1,000 children.

State-level child abuse and neglect rates vary widely. However, state-to-state comparisons should be made carefully because each state has its own child protection laws, definitions, evidence standards, reporting systems, screening procedures, and alternative response policies.

A state with a higher reported rate may not simply have “more abuse.” It may have different reporting rules, stronger detection, different CPS screening practices, different definitions of maltreatment, or more substantiated cases being captured in the reporting system.

For this reason, national patterns are often more useful for public awareness. The 2024 national data shows that confirmed child maltreatment most often involves caregivers known to the child, especially parents, and that neglect remains the most common confirmed maltreatment type.

Key statistics:

- 532,228 children were confirmed victims of abuse or neglect in 2024.
- The national victimization rate was 7.2 victims per 1,000 children.
- Children younger than 1 year old had the highest victimization rate: 20.1 per 1,000 children.
- 79.3% of victims experienced neglect either alone or in combination with another maltreatment type.

Race and Ethnicity of Child Maltreatment Perpetrators in the U.S.

Child maltreatment occurs across racial and ethnic groups. The 2024 data should be interpreted carefully because these percentages reflect confirmed perpetrators known to CPS agencies, not the full population of people who may harm children outside the child protection system.

Among reporting states in 2024, the largest race and ethnicity groups among confirmed perpetrators were White (45.1%), Hispanic (21.8%), and Black or African-American (21.7%). Race or ethnicity was unknown or not reported for 6.1% of perpetrators.

These figures show that child maltreatment is not limited to one community. They also should not be used to stereotype any racial or ethnic group. Differences in reporting, investigation, poverty exposure, access to services, community surveillance, and state-level systems can influence who becomes known to CPS agencies.

Perpetrators by race or ethnicity, 2024:

White: 45.1%
Hispanic: 21.8%
Black or African-American: 21.7%
Unknown: 6.1%
Two or more races: 2.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native: 1.3%
Asian: 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0.3%

Important clarification: These are child maltreatment perpetrator statistics overall. They should not be described as “child molester” race statistics because NCANDS perpetrator data includes multiple maltreatment types, including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and other forms of abuse or neglect.

Male and Female Child Abusers: More Women Than Men in Overall Maltreatment Data

The 2024 federal data shows that both men and women are confirmed as child maltreatment perpetrators. Among reporting states, 51.9% of perpetrators were female, 47.0% were male, and 1.1% had unknown sex.

This finding is important because public discussions often assume child abuse is committed only by men. In reality, the overall child maltreatment data includes many forms of abuse and neglect, including neglect, which is often connected to caregiving responsibility.

This does not mean women are more dangerous than men. It means the overall CPS data reflects who is most often identified as responsible for confirmed maltreatment in caregiving settings. Since mothers and female caregivers often carry a large share of daily caregiving responsibilities, they appear frequently in child welfare data.

For sexual abuse specifically, patterns may differ. Therefore, the words “child abuser,” “child maltreatment perpetrator,” and “child molester” should not be used as if they mean the same thing.

Key statistics:

51.9% of perpetrators were female.
47.0% of perpetrators were male.
1.1% of perpetrators had unknown sex.
Overall child maltreatment data includes neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and other forms of maltreatment.

Can a Child Be an Abuser? Rare but Possible

Although uncommon, minors can be identified as perpetrators in child maltreatment data. In 2024, 1.7% of confirmed perpetrators were younger than 18 years old.

These cases may involve peer-to-peer harm, sibling abuse, harmful sexual behavior, or other situations where a minor is determined to have caused or knowingly allowed maltreatment under state policy.

However, this number should be interpreted carefully. Some states have laws or policies that limit how young a person can be before they may be identified as a perpetrator. Because state rules vary, rates are not calculated for perpetrators younger than 18 in the same way they are calculated for adult age groups.

The data confirms that children can sometimes be identified as perpetrators, but these cases are rare compared with adult perpetrator cases.

Key statistics:

1.7% of perpetrators were younger than 18.
Most perpetrators were adults.
The largest perpetrator age group was 25–34 years old.
The majority of perpetrators were parents or caregivers known to the child.

What This Means for Prevention

The 2024 data shows that child abuse prevention must focus on the people and places closest to children. Most confirmed perpetrators are not strangers. They are usually parents, caregivers, relatives, or other adults known to the child.

Effective prevention must include:

Parent and caregiver education
Early family support
Safe reporting pathways
Domestic violence support
Substance abuse support
Mental health services
Community-based prevention programs
Training for teachers, healthcare providers, and other mandated reporters
Support for families before crisis occurs

Child abuse prevention is not only about identifying “dangerous strangers.” It is about building safer homes, stronger caregiving environments, and community systems that can recognize risk early and respond before harm escalates.

Protect a Child Today

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Sources:

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau — Child Maltreatment 2024
National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)
Reporting year: Federal Fiscal Year 2024
Coverage: 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico

Source note: This page uses statistics from the ACF Children’s Bureau Child Maltreatment 2024 report. Statistics are updated when new federal child maltreatment reports are released.

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CPGN is a 501(c)(3)—donations are tax-deductible where applicable. Our goal is to ensure the safety and protection of every child until it is achieved.

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See a child in danger? If you are in immediate danger, call local emergency services. For guidance from CPGN, Get Help.
CPGN is a 501(c)(3) — donations are tax-deductible where applicable. Our goal is to ensure the safety and protection of every child until it is achieved.