HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – The Girl Coalition of Indiana released the 2023 Indiana Girl Report in partnership with the Indiana Youth Institute. According to a release, the report was developed through qualitative and quantitative research to provide insight into critical challenges girls are experiencing across the state.
The report found that 47.1% of 7th to 12th grade girls in Indiana experienced depression in 2022 and nearly 1 in 4 girls considered suicide. The report also found girls were twice as likely to become victims of traditional bullying and three times as likely to become victims of cyberbullying compared to boys. The report indicates the rate of physical ans sexual dating violence among girls in Indiana has increased while the prevalence among boys has decreased.
“There is a stark discrepancy between the mental and physical health of Indiana`s girls and their male counterparts,” said Girl Coalition of Indiana Executive Director, Mackenzie Pickerrell. This report shines a light on what many of us knew already, our girls are not ok, and we must act now to remove the barriers that exist throughout Indiana that prevent our girls from thriving. Our plan is to share this research with families, educators, youth development providers, and influencers, providers as a means for arming them with pathways for having courageous conversations at home, developing programming, and passing legislation that will improve the quality of life for all girls in Indiana.”
Officials say the report also offers a roadmap for cultivating supportive environments and developing resources for girls to help them navigate through topics considered taboo including mental health, sexual dating violence, gender bias and bullying. You can read the full report online here.
