Girl Scouts and Girl Co. release the Girl Report. Photo provided by the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana.

Press release

FORT WAYNE – As Indiana strives to break down gender barriers and provide access to girls of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds, communities must develop an adequate understanding of the challenges girls face. That’s why, for the second year in a row, the Girl Coalition of Indiana, the Girl Scouts, and the Indiana Youth Institute have produced the Indiana Girl Report, a comprehensive report on the well-being of girls in the state of Indiana. The findings are designed to highlight the complex realities facing girls today and provide Indiana residents with the tools they need to improve the mental and social well-being of Indiana girls.

The 2024 edition of the Indiana Girl Report goes even deeper, synthesizing information from even more sources to raise national awareness of the issues impacting girls’ lives. It also includes an even stronger call to action for Indiana residents to join together to improve the mental health and social well-being of girls in Indiana.

Specifically, the 2024 report identifies the following points as essential for the well-being of girls:

Positive childhood experiences

Girls recognize the importance of these experiences and are demanding safe schools, supportive girls-only spaces to talk about complex issues, adults they can trust, connected peer networks, and opportunities to build their skills and nurture their leadership potential.

Dealing with interpersonal aggression

Bullying, cyberbullying and sexual assault are part of a self-reinforcing cycle of violence. Indiana residents need statewide interventions to address interpersonal aggression among children and youth, as well as prevention efforts to break the cycle of domestic and community violence.

Access to mental health support services

Access to psychological support is essential for girls to overcome the challenges they face today. When this support is available to all adolescents, it is crucial to prevent future aggression and violence.

Additional findings demonstrate the importance of caregivers, youth program providers, schools and state policymakers in effectively impacting girls’ quality of life. Using data from the 2024 report, Girl Co. will host stakeholder meetings for community leaders, educators and girls in 20 of Indiana’s 92 counties where disparities are greatest. Girl Co. has also established a statewide advisory council to lead advocacy efforts with Indiana legislators.

“There continues to be a large gap between the mental and physical health of Indiana girls and their male counterparts,” said Mackenzie Pickerrell, executive director of the Girl Coalition of Indiana. “Over the next year, Girl Co. will continue our work with stakeholders and our newly formed Advisory Board to identify advocacy opportunities and legislative needs to address these and other issues identified in the report. We will also encourage meaningful conversations within communities and share the report and community feedback with potential partners. This collaborative effort will help create pathways that connect girls to Girl Scouts programs and improve their quality of life across our state.”

The Girl Coalition of Indiana is a statewide social innovation initiative aimed at girls, inspired by the six Girl Scout Councils that serve Indiana. The Girl Scouts recognize that surrounding girls with supportive, trusted adults and creating a safe place where all girls feel they belong are positive strategies that interrupt the negative cycles in the areas identified in the report. As founding members of the Girl Coalition of Indiana, the Girl Scouts are focused on helping all girls live their best lives physically, academically, emotionally and socially, while girls from low-income and traumatized households face inequities and unprecedented challenges in their daily lives.

Girl Co. provides an opportunity to dream, ideate, test, and find new ways to serve all girls, especially those in low-income communities. Girl Co.’s innovative approach involves diving deep into communities, learning about the needs of girls and families in 20 specific counties, and developing ideas that remove barriers for girls to access beneficial and impactful experiences like Girl Scouts.

For a full copy of the report, visit GirlCoalitionIndiana.org/report. For more information about the Girl Coalition of Indiana, visit GirlCoalitionIndiana.org.