University of Hawai'i University Relations Media & Publications Honolulu, HI 96822	(808) 956-8856 Telephone (808) 956-3441 Facsimile ur@hawaii.edu E-Mail
Contact: Meda Chesney-Lind, 956-6313	Air Date: June 9, 1998

Hawai'i Girls Project Releases Report on Programming for Girls to Reduce Delinquency   A new report by the Hawai'i Girls Project highlights the importance of providing programs for girls. That's because girls account for one in three of youth arrests in Hawai'i (compared to one in four nationally), and arrests of girls are increasing. According to the report, spearheaded by UH researcher Meda Chesney-Lind, thirty-four percent of all girls will be sexually or physically abused before they reach adulthood; and over 60% of the girls in the juvenile justice system have been abused. Girls also suffer from disproportionately higher levels of stress, depression, eating disorders, and suicide attempts than boys. Their self-esteem is also considerably lower than boys' as it tends to plummet during adolescent years. Because the majority of programs that serve girls are co-ed, the specific needs of girls are either shortchanged or simply ignored, according to the report. This had been the University Report, join me tomorrow morning for the UH Today segment on NBC Hawaii News8, I'm Tracy Orillo-Donovan.

-UH-