Community Workshop Highlights Urgent Challenges Facing Florida Girls

The Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida and the League of Women Voters of Broward County recently co-hosted a community workshop to address the findings of the 'State of the Florida Girl' report. This comprehensive analysis sheds light on the unprecedented challenges girls across Florida are facing today. The event took place at the North Regional Library in Coconut Creek, featuring a keynote by Elle Harrigan, Chief Advancement Officer for Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, and a panel discussion moderated by Sergio Bustos of WLRN.

The report highlights several alarming trends, including a 40% increase in depression among high school girls over the past decade, with 52% reporting feelings of sadness or hopelessness for two or more weeks in a row. Even more concerning is the statistic that 1 in 4 girls has seriously considered attempting suicide, marking a 60% rise in the last ten years. Academic performance is also affected, with 1 in 8 girls missing school due to feeling unsafe, and girls being 1.5 times more likely than boys to stay home after experiencing bullying. Cyberbullying is twice as prevalent among girls as boys, pointing to significant online safety challenges.

Physical health concerns are equally pressing, with 36% of girls believing they are overweight, despite only 32% meeting the medical definition of being overweight or obese. This discrepancy is most pronounced among Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) girls, with 32% describing themselves as overweight, though only 14% meet the medical criteria. The report also touches on the impact of violence, access to health insurance, and rising youth homelessness.

'These are staggering findings that we cannot ignore,' stated Elle Harrigan. The workshop aimed to mobilize community action to address these issues, emphasizing the need for investment in girls' mental health, academic equity, and physical safety. For more information on the report and how to get involved, visit https://bit.ly/3U1E0GB.