Report details health, wellness of central Indiana women

INDIANAPOLIS — “Can women thrive in central Indiana?” asks a report by the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana.

In the 2024 report on the State of Women in Central Indiana, health and wellness data was collected from all adults who identify as women.

The report defines central Indiana as Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan and Shelby counties.

In more than 150 pages, the report addresses topics like housing, transportation, mental health and access to food.

“It’s not as easy as it sounds to hop in the car and go to the grocery store,” said Mary Dubinin, director of community collaborations with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc.

According to the report, 100,000 central Indiana women live in food deserts.

That is especially troubling because women are seven times more likely than men to plan family meals, according to the report. They are often the shopper for the home too.

“At our pantry distribution there at Gleaners Food Bank, yes, the majority being women,” Dubinin said.

Dubinin suggests women use the Community Compass app to find food pantries in their neighborhood.

“Plug in your ZIP code,” Dubinin said, “and you can actually find what might be available in a 5-mile radius, 10-mile radius, and therefore.”

All this comes at a time when gender pay gaps still exist in central Indiana.

According to the new report, women earn 70 cents on the dollar compared to men. That is true for part-time and full-time workers.

“We are working, every single day, to help women gain that living-wage job,” said Julie Petr with Dress for Success Indianapolis, an organization dedicated to helping women achieve economic independence by providing professional support and attire.

“They range from 16 years of age all the way up until 70 years of age with a wide variety of circumstances,” Petr said.

Caregiving and child care are also discussed in the State of Women report.

It shows a high demand for childcare with not enough support from central Indiana counties.

For example, Marion County is meeting 84% of the demand for childcare, while Hamilton County is only meeting 46%, according to the report.

Another key topic is domestic violence and safety.

Kelly McBride works with the Domestic Violence Prevention Network.

“The numbers for domestic violence really rose during COVID, and we’re not really seeing that level off still,” said McBride.

According to the report, some of the biggest barriers preventing Indiana women from leaving violent homes is a lack of basic needs, limited awareness of resources, financial stability, and transportation.

“Domestic violence is about power and control,” said McBride.

She adds, most of those barriers are interconnected.

“If you’re not working, how do you get a house?” asked McBride. “Where do you live? If you have children in daycare, what does that look like?”

McBride wants women to know they are not alone.

“There is a community that can support you and wrap you in love. You do not deserve to be in an unhealthy house.”