Latest “Status of Girls in Wisconsin” report reveals troubling patterns | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
January 15, 2019
The Alverno Report: The Status of Girls in Wisconsin reveals a number of persistent, troubling patterns for Wisconsin girls, especially in the areas of sexual violence and human trafficking; stress, depression and suicide; bullying; TV, online and social media engagement; and substance use. The data also points to another disturbing fact – Wisconsin girls of color have it worse than white girls. Yet, the 2018-2019 report from the Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls did note some improvement in areas including sexual activity, teen birth rates and smoking.
This is the fourth report on the status of girls in Wisconsin as part of Alverno’s continued commitment to raise awareness regarding issues and challenges that impact girls in our state. The first report was released in 2007, followed by updates in 2010 and 2014. The report focuses on girls (in most cases ages 10-19) across the state of Wisconsin. Data are drawn from various sources compiled and analyzed by researchers affiliated with the Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls.
Some of the key 2018 findings include:
Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking
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Stress, Depression, Suicide and Self-Harm Behaviors
Bullying and Abuse
TV, Online and Social Media Engagement
Weight and Exercise
Sex and Teen Pregnancy
Substance Abuse
The report also noted some encouraging news including:
On the topic of education, a slightly higher percentage of girls (just over 90%) in Wisconsin public schools graduated with a regular high school diploma during the 2016-17 school year compared to boys (86.5%), but Wisconsin girls still lag behind boys in mathematics and science at the advanced level.
The Alverno Report: The Status of Girls in Wisconsin provides information, without extensive interpretation, to serve as a catalyst for young women and girls and the agencies that serve them to voice their perspectives on the issues and challenges they face and work to develop the solutions, programming and resources needed to address these issues.
The report is still the most comprehensive consolidation of information about the issues facing girls in our state. Several universities and colleges nationwide have followed Alverno College’s lead in presenting data to improve the lives of girls.
The full 2018-2019 “Status of Girls in Wisconsin” report, as well as an executive summary, can be found at www.alverno.edu/statusofgirls. On March 23, Alverno College will host a Girls Summit that will offer an opportunity to address the challenges the report highlights. Registration is open at https://www.alverno.edu/research/girlssummit.php.
The Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls is a center devoted to taking scholarly research that applies to the real world where it can inspire, transform and support initiatives that improve the lives of women and girls in Wisconsin and beyond. The center also partners with community agencies to foster discussion about important issues and identifies emerging research topics that can make a difference in women’s lives.
About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.