According to the 2015 Vermont Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 50% of girls are less likely to feel like they matter in their community, and boys were significantly more likely to feel valued. 36% of girls have been electronically bullied, and 53% of girls who were bullied at school were likely to miss school as a result.
According to recent studies, 53% of 12-year old girls are unhappy with their bodies. That number rises to 78% by the age of seventeen. Over 60% of women struggle with some form of an eating disorder, and rates of depression among
girls and women have more than doubled since 2000. The American Psychological Association recently declared self-objectification a national epidemic.
As a result, American society is seeing young women spend more money on cosmetics, plastic surgery, and hair products than they are on their own education. Young girls tend to be less likely to raise their hands in classes, pursue opportunities, and follow their aspirations.
In 2013, Vermont Works for Women published a report titled Enough Said that surveyed over 210 girls between the ages of 15 and 25 from 28 different communities in Vermont. The results stated that young women in Vermont lack knowledge about personal finance, experience social aggression among girls frequently, and lack exposure to careers or hobbies that might be of interest.
Rosie’s Girls fosters an environment that encourages young girls to pursue challenges as a result of increased self-efficacy, resilience, and confidence. The goal is not to create the next generation of STEM or Trades professionals, but rather to encourage life-long learning, positive relationships with girls, and expanded beliefs of what women are capable of accomplishing. Together, we can dismantle these alarming statistics and help empower our young women!
