A Closer Look: Status
of Women and Girls in the
Phase I Final Report
Introduction
In May 2004, the Women’s Funding Alliance (WFA) and the Northwest Girls Coalition (NWGC)
commissioned the Human Services Policy Center (HSPC) to identify what is known
and not known about the status of women and girls in the Puget Sound Region
(King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Whatcom counties) in the following seven categories:
·
Health
and well-being
·
Education
·
Safety
and violence
·
Economic
security
·
Housing
·
Community
·
Leadership
and giving
Research
for the project was conducted in three stages. During Part I, HSPC identified
publicly available data sources that provided information on women and girls at
the national, state, and county levels. This
information was supplemented by work in Part II, which accumulated analytical
research reports on women and girls, with particular emphasis on finding the
latest available information within the counties of interest. Finally, in Part III we conducted community
forums within King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Whatcom counties with service
providers and individuals working on women’s and girl’s issues. The primary purpose of the forums was to
gather additional information about regional research priorities, as they
relate to the promotion of social and economic well-being for women and girls.
This final
report summarizes the information gathered in Parts I, II, and III, and serves
as a guide to the WFA and NWGC for future funding decisions regarding research
on women and girls in the
Research Methods and Findings
Part I: Publicly Available Data Sources
The first
task for Part I was to break the seven main categories of interest into subcategories
(Table 1). The information gathered in
Parts I and II is organized according to this breakdown, and our final
recommendations are based upon the quantity and quality of data and reports
within each category.
Following
the identification of subcategories, HSPC identified publicly available data
sources that provided information on women and girls, according to at least one
category of interest to WFA/NWGC. We
specifically sought data sources containing recent (within the last ten years) county-level
information by age, sex, race, income, and marital status. We also included information on state and
national datasets that could address issues related to women and girls, since
county-level data is often either not available or not publicly accessible.
Table 1: Main Categories and
Subcategories
Health
& Well-Being
|
Health Care
Access Health Status Mental Health Health Behaviors Older Women Fertility &
Pregnancy Deaths Health Research
Issues Adolescents |
|
Education |
Achievement Parent Involvement Personnel K-12 Enrollment K-12 Science, Technology, English, Math Early Child Care & Education Before and After School Activities Adult Education |
|
Safety & Violence |
Abuse Neighborhood Crime Rate Child Protection |
|
Economic Security |
Poverty and Public Assistance Wages, Benefits & Prestige Gender Gap Labor Force Participation Women Owned Businesses Economic Impact of Child Care Wealth & Assets Immigrant Status Economic Security of Families Informal Caregiving |
|
Housing |
Own vs. Rent Homeless |
|
Community |
Neighborhood Characteristics |
Leadership
& Giving
|
Volunteering and Civic Involvement Organizational Leadership Charitable Giving Women in Government Women's Policy Issues Youth Leadership |
The data
sources were organized into a matrix providing a general summary of information
available by year and geographic level (Attachment 1). Knowing the number of data
sources and the information each source contains allows us to assess what types
of county-level research can be conducted with data that we already have. It also highlights areas where there is a
lack of information available.
Part II: Analytic Research Reports
In Part II,
HSPC conducted a scan of reports that have been published on women and girls in
the
The
following criteria were used to screen reports for inclusion in the study:
These reports
are also organized into a matrix by main and subcategories, as well as year
released, geographical level, and location on the web (Attachment 2) (reports
not available on the web are provided in Appendix B).
Summary of Findings from Parts I & II
The following
is a summary of the general findings from Parts I & II of the A Closer Look study. The summary provides a brief assessment of information
available in each category, based upon the quantity of data and reports
gathered.
Health
and Well-Being
Health and
well-being is the most well-researched category within the WFA/NWGC areas of
interest, and has a relatively large amount of information available by county
compared to the other six categories. Still, several subcategories stand out as
lacking adequate information by county, including female mental health, general
health behaviors by gender, and the health status of older women.
Education
Education
is also a relatively well-researched area by county, especially in the area of
achievement. Our research brings attention to four categories where we lack
county-level data – parental and family involvement in girls’ education; how
women and girls fare in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and
math; after school activities for girls; and adult education for females.
Safety
and Violence
In general,
there is a lack of data and reports on women and girls in this area, with very
little information on violence against women and girls. In addition, information on foster children
by county is severely lacking and an important area where additional data and
research is needed.
Economic
Security
Economic
security has been very well-researched at the state level, but research at the
county level is lacking in several key areas, including the gender gap in
wages, women-owned businesses, the economic impact of child care, and the
wealth and assets of women. There is a
deficiency of reports about poverty and public assistance; wages, benefits, and
prestige; and the economic security of families, despite the fact that much of
this information is readily available through the U.S. Census American
Factfinder website.
Housing
There is a
severe lack of published information on housing at the county level, although
some information on housing can be found through the U.S. Census files and the
American Communities Survey. Of
particular concern is the need for data on the female homeless population,
which undoubtedly experiences economic hardship, compromised health status, and
exposure to unsafe conditions and abuse.
Community
Information
on communities is not adequate, though the U.S. Census contains a number of
county-level (and sub county-level) indicators that can provide insight into
the general status and organization of one’s community. The effects of
community and the health of neighborhoods on such things as individual health,
earnings potential, and safety are well documented. Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of
communities, therefore, is an important part of understanding the general
well-being of women.
Leadership
and Giving
Some
research on leadership and giving among females has been done at the state
level, but generally not within counties.
Understanding the effects of women in government, female civic participation,
and general leadership could help yield information about how women shape the
public policy agenda and whether their involvement leads to more positive
outcomes for women.
Part III:
In Part
III, HSPC convened forums in the four counties of interest – King, Snohomish,
Pierce, and Whatcom – to gather additional information about regional research
priorities, as they relate to the promotion of social and economic well-being
for women and girls. The forums provided
an opportunity for WFA and NWGC to hear directly from service providers and
agency leaders who are working with women and girls in the
The
number of participants at each forum ranged from 6 to 26. Participants
represented a diverse range of public and non-profit agencies that serve women
and girls. Participants were asked to break out into small groups to discuss
the question, “What are the three to five most important areas where more
research and data would be of benefit to you in the work you do for women and
girls?” Participants were then asked to
brainstorm ideas, and identify the top priorities within their county.
Summary of Findings from Part III
Responses
to the question, “ What are the three to five most important areas where more
research and data would be of benefit to you in the work you do for women and
girls?”, varied from county to county; however, a few common
themes emerged, including:
Economic
Security and the Impact of Poverty
Participants
in
Education
Multiple
participants were interested in gathering additional educational data, broken
out by gender, race and ethnicity. Participants in
Changing Demographics and Growth of
the Immigrant and Refugee Community
Recognizing
the rapid growth of the immigrant and refugee population and other minority
communities in
Mental
Health and Addiction
Participants
felt that issues related to mental health, like those of economic security and
poverty, were of critical importance because of their effect on all other
aspects of women’s and girls’ lives. Questions that arose include: How many
women are struggling with mental health conditions and addiction? Are available
services meeting the needs of women and girls? and, How does depression affect
women’s ability to access services?
Please see Appendix
A for detailed information on each forum.
Limitations
Although
the findings reached in this report are based upon a thorough analysis of the
information gathered in Parts I,II, and III, there are several important
limitations to consider when evaluating the results of this research.
First, the
list of data sources and analytical reports is not exhaustive, and we therefore
could have overlooked important sources of information that might change the
conclusions and recommendations made in this report. Part of the reason for this is our heavy
reliance on the internet to guide our search, which limits our findings to
electronically available information. Given
the ubiquity of the internet and the nature of the data and reports sought, however,
we believe that the information gathered is an accurate representation of what
is known and not known about women and girls in the
Second, the
scope of work for the present study did not include a thorough analysis of all
of the data sources and reports gathered.
Our scan was conducted to identify the breadth of information available on women and girls, not the depth of that information. Because we have only gained a cursory
understanding of the information contained in the data sources and reports, our
conclusions and recommendations are somewhat general.
Finally, our
findings in this report are based upon information available to us through the professional,
academic, and individual networks established by WFA, NWGC, and HSPC. Thus, our knowledge of data sources, reports,
and organizations addressing issues facing women and girls might be limited. The networks established by our
organizations, however, are quite extensive, particularly through HSPC’s
affiliation with the
High Priority Issues and Funding Recommendations
Based upon
the quantity and quality of the information gathered in Parts I and II, and the
insight we gained from the community forums in Part III of the A Closer Look study, we highlight the
areas that are crucial to the well-being of women and girls in the Puget Sound
Region. In addition, we combine these
findings and our knowledge of policy issues in
High-Priority Issues for Women and Girls in the
Economic
Well-Being
Given that
economic well-being is crucial to the overall status of women in all of the
categories analyzed, it is critical that we have a thorough understanding of
how women and girls fare economically in
Safety
& Violence
Much work
needs to be done in understanding the prevalence of violence among women and
girls, as well as the forces that give rise to its occurrence. Educating women and men on issues related to
violence, providing a coordinated network of resources, and ensuring a safe
existence for victims and survivors of violence are fundamental to a healthy
society. Although there are multiple public and private agencies collecting
data about safety and violence, this data is difficult to access due to
restrictions required to ensure a woman’s privacy and safety. Another
complicating factor is that many cases of violence go unreported out of fear of
retaliation. Many forum participants identified sexual harassment, domestic
violence, and abuse as key areas of concern within their communities and among
the women that they serve. Participants would like increased coordination
between agencies regarding the availability of access to data outside of law
enforcement agencies (being mindful of confidentiality and personal safety) and
clear definitions of what constitutes abuse. Participants also supported
increased education about violence and sexual harassment, particularly within
the schools.
Mental
Health and Substance Abuse
Similar to
economic well-being, women’s mental health is an essential component of a
woman’s social stability and overall well-being. The predominance of substance
abuse, especially within low-income and minority communities, is a significant
barrier that prohibits social and economic mobility. The connection between
substance abuse and mental health is significant and often prevents women from
obtaining access to education and stable employment. Despite the volume of data
and research within the category of Health and Well-Being, there is still much
more to learn about the influence of health and mental health on women’s
quality of life within the
Challenges
Facing Immigrant and Refugee Women
According
to the 2000 US Census, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of
immigrants and refugees living and working within the
Recommended Funding Trajectories
Funding Trajectory 1: Compendium of
Indicators on Women and Girls in the
This
approach would involve compiling all of the county-level data available on
women and girls in the Puget Sound and releasing a compendium report similar to
The Status of Women in the States report
by the
Funding Trajectory 2: Compendium of
Indicators on Women and Girls in a Single Category
This
approach would be similar to the compendium described above, but would favor
depth over breadth by focusing on one category.
In this type of report there could be room to elaborate on some of the
indicators, perhaps in the form of a thematic essay, policy brief, or fact
sheet.
Funding
Trajectory 3: Primary Data Collection
The general
lack of data at the county-level on a number of categories warrants a primary
data collection effort, though this is a time-, labor-, and financially-
intensive endeavor. This option would involve several stages of planning, and
collection of the data would likely occur over a long period of time. The collection of both quantitative and
qualitative data, however, would be extremely valuable in addressing many of
the issues most critical to women and girls and serve as the basis for future
research.
The
high-priority areas identified for women and girls should guide the primary data
collection effort. Depending upon the
resources available the data collected could cover several categories
fundamental to the well-being of women and girls or could be more narrowly
focused on a particular population. Based
upon the findings of available data in the A
Closer Look study, however, we recommend the following areas for primary
data collection:
Funding
Trajectory 4: Quantitative Analyses of Existing Data
A final
trajectory to consider would be to develop research questions and look to the
data that is already available to answer those questions, including data gathered
from service providers and advocacy groups that are not included in the A Closer Look study. Should WFA/NWGC pursue a research agenda that
utilizes existing data, several stages of planning will be necessary, including
a more thorough understanding of the existing data sources and their capacity
to accurately represent the populations being studied.
There is a considerable
amount of data available to analyze issues related to women and girls at the
state and national levels, but, as the A
Closer Look study reveals, county-level data in all categories is scarce. Using national and state datasets to explore
these issues is a promising option, and the findings could be used to inform
future research and primary data needs at the local level.
Conclusion
This final report
concludes the Phase I portion of the A
Closer Look study. The findings and
recommendations presented are intended to help the Women’s Funding Alliance and
the Northwest Girls Coalition rationalize their funding agenda and identify high-priority
areas for women and girls in the
Sharon Doyle
(206) 685-7612
(206) 616-1553
doyles@u.washington.edu