The Utah State University's Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) recently released significant new information on the state's progress, or lack thereof, in issues surrounding women's safety and security. This is the third of six planned reports, and it delves into areas of child sexual abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and poverty/homelessness, putting hard numbers to challenges that are too often discussed without them.
In a study spanning from October to November of 2024, which included responses from 4,721 participants, with a notable 1,123 being men, the UWLP sought to grasp the depth of these issues in Utah, the findings from the survey, as reported by Utah State University, point toward a landscape where understanding has grown, even if the mountains that need moving, remain steadfastly in place. The white paper, compiled by Susan Madsen, director of the UWLP, and Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership at the USU Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, provides a comprehensive look at the state of affairs.
"For those who want to more deeply understand the perceptions and attitudes around the safety and security challenges Utah women and girls face, this 40-page report contains a significant amount of critical data that can help," Madsen said, as per Utah State University. Also mentioned is the initiative "A Bolder Way Forward," hinting at a broader conversation and actions intended to uplift Utah's female population. With empirical data now supporting this dialogue, activists and policymakers possess sharper tools to cut through the fog of anecdote and hearsay.
