In early 2024, Dana Borrelli-Murray, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England (GSSNE) and Kelly Nevins, CEO of Women’s Fund of Rhode Island (WFRI), decided to initiate this project to investigate one question: How are the girls in Rhode Island faring? The answer to that question is complicated and the data reveals that our girls need us. Here are a few disturbing points:
- 43% of middle-school girls reported being bullied on school property;
- Nearly 1 in 3 middle-school girls seriously considered suicide, with 13% attempting suicide; and
- Nearly 18% of high-school girls reported experiencing dating violence.
The Rhode Island Girls Report was a project built by many talented, generous, smart folks. The data was compiled and the report created through a collaborative effort of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Brown University School of Public Health, Girls on the Run RI, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, Rhode Island for Community & Justice, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, The Womxn Project Education Fund, and WFRI.