INDIANAPOLIS — We're getting a new look at the emotional state of girls in junior high and high school across Indiana.
A new study shows they're not emotionally well. Researchers found 47% of seventh to 12th grade girls feel a sense of hopelessness.
Indiana girls are about three times more likely than boys to be cyberbullied. Twenty-two percent of girls reported being cyberbullied in 2021 alone, and girls in Indiana are about two times more likely than boys to be bullied at school. Twenty percent reported being bullied at school.
Nearly one in four girls reported seriously considering suicide, more than twice the rate of boys.
There are concerns about physical health as well. Indiana girls are three times more likely than boys to be admitted to the hospital for inpatient care. More than 33,000 Hoosier girls were admitted for inpatient care in 2021. Girls make up about two-thirds of all youth emergency room visits in Indiana as well.
An expert said parents have to create a support system for girls which should include more than just their parent or guardian.
"Create that safe space for them to come and provide some of their struggles and challenges. And that dialogue doesn't always have to be the parent or the caregiver. It could be another trusted adult in their life. We know mentorship is so important to all youth, but specifically to girls," said Mackenzie Pickerrell, executive director of the Girl Coalition of Indiana.
The next step for the coalition is to increase dialogue surrounding this research, and then, advocate for more community support for parents and girls.