The Girl Coalition of Indiana has released its 2023 Indiana Girl Report.
The 2023 Indiana Girl Report, inspired by the Girl Scouts, is the first of its kind to provide an analysis of the challenges girls across the state of Indiana experience through qualitative and quantitative research. The Girl Coalition of Indiana partnered with the Indiana Youth Institute to develop the report, which aims to provide understanding to areas where quality of life for Hoosier girls is significantly impacted.
“There is a stark discrepancy between the mental and physical health of Indiana’s girls and their male counterparts,” Mackenzie Pickerrell, executive director of Girl Coalition of Indiana, said in a statement. 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 which prevent our girls from thriving.”
The 2023 Indiana Girl Report found that among 7th-12th grade girls in Indiana, 47.1% experienced depression in 2022 and nearly one in four girls seriously considered suicide. The report also found that in Indiana, girls are twice as likely as boys to become victims of traditional bullying and three times as likely to become victims of cyberbullying.
The rate of physical and sexual dating violence has increased among girls from 2015 to 2021 while the prevalence of physical and sexual dating violence among boys has decreased.
In 2021, high school girls reported experiencing sexual violence at five times the rate of high school boys. The study also found that girls were admitted for inpatient care at a hospital more than three times the rate of boys in 2021.
Key findings of this research can be used as a “roadmap” or foundation for providing the necessary resources to encourage safe environments for girls, especially when it comes to navigating sensitive topics, such as mental health, sexual dating violence, gender bias and bullying.
“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,” Pickerrell said.
A full copy of the report can be found at GirlCoalitionIndiana.org/report. For more information about the Girl Coalition of Indiana, visit www.girlcoalitionindiana.org.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe graduated with a degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and her previous work includes freelancing for Indy Maven, Assistant Arts & Life Editor for The Lantern, and editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Chloe enjoys covering all things arts and culture — from local music, visual art, dance, theater and film, as well as minority-owned businesses. In her free time, Chloe enjoys reading, cooking and keeping her plants alive.
