The Indiana Girl Report comes from a collaboration of the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, Girl Coalition of Indiana, and the Indiana Youth Institute. In the words of Executive Director of Girl Coalition of Indiana Mackenzie Pickerrell, the report looks to “affirm what girls are feeling and experiencing as they navigate uniquely challenging times,” while also inspiring “the collective action of caregivers, educators, […] and corporate, local, and state decision makers” to make necessary changes.
Find the full report online at GirlCoalitionIndiana.org/report.
As one might expect, the Indiana Girl Report previews some of what we find in The State of Women in Central Indiana Report, especially concerning barriers to physical and mental health. The report offers three general focus areas for improving outcomes for Hoosier girls:
Positive Childhood Experiences
Fostering more positive experiences early on better equips girls for adulthood.
While many Hoosier girls’ responses aligned closely with national trends, areas in which Indiana fared poorly included low involvement in after-school activities, high levels of homelessness among students, and low levels of daily physical activity.
Fortunately, 9 in 10 Hoosier girls aged 6 to 17 have an adult mentor beyond parents or caregivers; however, more than 1 in 5 female students in grades 7 and up said they are unable to ask a parent for help with personal issues.
Address Bullying and Violence
Bullying has been a part of teenage life for as long as there have been teenagers. But for many kids, social media has turbocharged their exposure to cruel and even traumatic bullying from peers.
Alongside this, over 17% of high school girls reported experiencing sexual violence in a single year—and as with adult counterparts, that figure is likely low due to underreporting.
Even so, these girls will grow up in a state that is routinely in the top 10 for its rate of domestic violence. More effective statewide intervention is needed to disrupt what are often cycles of violence.
Increase Access to Care for Mental Health
Given how girls report seven times the level of dating violence as boys, as well as having fewer positive childhood experiences, it is not surprising that girls in grades 7 through 12 are twice as likely as boys to report mental health challenges.
They are also twice as likely to “seriously consider suicide” and more likely to have used alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, marijuana, and cigarettes.
Not only can a dramatic increase in access to care for mental health help Hoosier girls today, but it can disrupt cycles of aggression, violence, and mental illness for future generations.
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In a recent appearance on the podcast How They See Us, Mackenzie Pickerrell and Women’s Fund President Tamara Winfrey-Harris noted the small percentage of total charitable dollars that go to women- and girlserving organizations (1.9%). What is also critical to understand is the multiplier effect of supporting these organizations. By uplifting women and girls, we support those who disproportionately care for others (or will soon)—as mothers, teachers, mentors, caretakers and more.
In this way, Indiana’s future is in women’s hands, and it starts with Indiana girls.
This article was published within the February 2025 issue of the Women’s Fund’s Diane magazine.
