LOGAN, Utah — A new study released by the Utah Women and Leadership Project starts with the good news as the state was named the "Best State Overall" by U.S. News and World Report in 2023, but women are not reaping the benefits.
For the eighth year in a row, Utah was the worst state in the country for women's equality.
According to the report, other studies rank Utah 46th out of 50th for gender equality, and in the bottom third for justice and safety.
Despite its reputation for strong family values, one in three Utah women will experience some form of domestic violence in her lifetime, with one in three being sexually assaulted and one in six having been raped.
Over a third of single mothers with young children experience poverty despite Utah's strong economic showing.
The Project, a part of Utah State University, seeks to improve these statistic with recommendations on several fronts.
To improve political strength, for example, the group is seeking to increase the number of women who hold political office and change the perception that a woman's role is strictly in the home.
To improve the workplace for women, they are seeking pay equity and greater opportunity for women to be mentored into leadership roles, as well as more opportunity for child care and a recognition of bias in hiring and promotion.
However, the report emphasizes that for women to gain economic and political standing, sexual or physical violence against women cannot be tolerated.
