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 2018, there were 20 abused or neglected children for every 1,000 in the 9-county Rochester region and above the state rate of 17. 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. Wyoming County had the lowest rate in the region at 16 per 1,000 followed by Monroe County at 17, much lower than the surrounding counties at 26 per 1,000. The rate in Seneca County was higher than the surrounding counties, region and state, at 40 per 1,000. Every other county in the region except Wyoming had a rate higher than the state in 2018. From 2000 to 2018, the rate doubled in Yates County and almost tripled in Orleans, 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.