By Okon Ekpenyong

Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX) was one of the vendors at this year’s conference. During our interview with Dorothy Martindale, Program Manager for The ROX Institute for Research & Training, she provided insight into the organization, which studies the lives of girls across the country and provides programs and resources to help girls succeed in relationships, academics, careers, and life.

“ROX offers a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum that covers all aspects of girls’ lives, from body image to social media to self-defense. The program gives girls the skills to navigate the challenges of growing,” Martindale said.

According to The Girls’ Index, the large-scale national research study conducted by ROX, girls who spend the most time using technology are five times more likely to say they are sad or depressed nearly every day. With girls spending six or more hours on social media, organizations like ROX are essential for educating and empowering the adults in girls’ lives to help them navigate the complexities of today’s world.

Research data, conferences, and awareness raising are also important, particularly among immigrant and refugee communities. They can help identify areas where an issue exists, and experts can look into finding a solution before a life is lost.

“All of our programming is centered around our research on girls’ experiences and what they need from adults in their lives to be more successful,” Martindale said.

Other important statistics to be aware of from The Girls’ Index include:

* 46% of high girls don’t believe they are smart enough for their dream career.

* 31% of girls say they have been bullied or made fun of on social media.

* 80% of high school girls report that guys their age are not respectful of girls.

* 76% of girls believe that most girls compete with one another.

* 61% of girls say that they like to be in charge.

Learn more about ROX research, resources, and programming at www.rulingourexperiences.org.

It was equally important to have the other vendor present to show how Sexual Assault affects everyone in the community and to show support for survivors of sexual assault.

Several breakout sessions provided incredible amounts of resourceful data and information for survivors, advocates, and the community, including leveraging Marsy’s Law to protect survivors of digital abuse.

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