Child abuse

This year, the University of Iowa says it will close the provider of sexual assault services in southeastern Iowa. A local provider has less than a year to fill the gap.

The Rape Victim Advocacy Program has provided support for survivors of sexual assault for more than 50 years. An IPR News investigation reveals how its abrupt closure came about and how that puts those services for 10% of the state’s population in jeopardy.

The Des Moines Register's Watchdog columnist Lee Rood raises questions in her latest series about one of the oldest and wealthiest nonprofits in the country.

Two Iowa children who faced severe physical abuse, neglect and torture by their adoptive parents are set to receive $5 million each under a settlement approved by State Appeal Board. They were adopted siblings of Sabrina Ray, who died of starvation in 2017.

State officials say they have hired an outside company to help overhaul its child welfare system after Iowa has seen several high profile child abuse cases highlighting system failures.

Advocates for people who were sexually abused as children are continuing to ask the Iowa Legislature to give survivors more time to bring lawsuits against their abusers.

An Iowa organization will bring culturally-specific training for the first time to Latino service providers in the state. Organizers said it’s a way to prevent cases of childhood trauma and domestic violence.

An investigation by the state ombudsman released Tuesday found the 2017 abuse and starvation death of 16-year-old Sabrina Ray could have been prevented by the Iowa Department of Human Services.

Multiple child abuse reports to the Department of Human Services were mishandled leading up to the death of West Des Moines teenager Natalie Finn,…