Children who have been abused or neglected may experience long-term psychological and emotional/behavioral consequences. Victims of abuse are also at higher risk of abusing their own children when they become parents.

In 2016, there were 18 abused or neglected children for every 1,000 in the 9-county Rochester region, its highest rate since 2000, and above the state rate of 16. From 2000, the regional rate had fluctated between 14 and 16 until it reached its lowest rate of 13 in 2013. Since 2013, the rate has steadily risen. Monroe County had the lowest rate in the region at 14 per 1,000, much lower than the surrounding counties at 24 per 1,000. The rate in Yates County was higher than the surrounding counties, region and state, at 31 per 1,000. Every other county in the region except Monroe had a rate higher than the state in 2016. From 2000 to 2016, the rate doubled in Orleans County and increased by 100% in Yates, the largest increases in the region.

Reports of abuse or neglect may be influenced by many factors such as outreach, education and media publicity. Additionally, it is unknown how many cases of abuse or neglect are never reported to authorities. Each child is counted only once in these data.