State of the Georgia Girl Report

Safety

The physical and emotional safety of girls at home, at school, and within their relationships is a foundational requirement of healthy development. Research repeatedly establishes the link between feeling safe and a range of positive developmental outcomes: • Experiencing sexual violence is proven to produce negative health outcomes across several domains, including increased anxiety, worsening sleep, loss of appetite, and disruption to education (Clarke, 2023). • Feeling unsafe at school is proven to create psychological distress that undermines academic achievement and contributes to a wide range of mental health problems (Valente, 2022; Bayram Özdemir, 2024). • Girls are more likely than boys to be victims of certain forms of abuse, linked to short- and long-term health consequences including physical, mental, and emotional health.

According to the Georgia Student Health Survey administered to students in grades 6 through 12, 1 in 3 girls “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that they feel unsafe at school – a slightly higher portion than upper-school boys. Worry about being hurt by another student follows the same pattern: 1 in 4 girls in grades 6 through 12 worries about being hurt by another student, a slightly higher portion compared to upper-school boys. Feeling safe in spaces like home and school is fundamentally necessary for positive mental and emotional development. When this feeling of safety erodes, girls fall into a persistent state of vigilance, disrupting optimal wellbeing (Valente, 2022). This critical link between the well-being of girls and their experience feeling safe at school requires a coordinated community response.

Female Upper School Students Strongly or Somewhat Agreeing: "I have felt unsafe at school"

PHYSICAL WELLNESS OF GEORGIA GIRLS

32% of girls

Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Student Health Survey - Middle and High School, 2023-2024.

Half of girls in middle and high school believe students treat each other with respect - a smaller portion than male students. Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Student Health Survey - Middle and High School, 2023-2024.

Students in Upper School Agreeing: "Students at my school treat each other with respect"

Female

50%

Male

57%

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THE 2026 STATE OF THE GEORGIA GIRL REPORT