Horrific statistics about the mental health of teenage girls in USA \ Globally

[alhoon]

From this article of WP citing research from this huge report.

"Teen girls across the United States are “engulfed in a growing wave of violence and trauma,” according to federal researchers who released data Monday showing increases in rape and sexual violence, as well as record levels of feeling sad or hopeless.
Nearly 1 in 3 high school girls reported in 2021 that they seriously considered suicide — up nearly 60 percent from a decade ago — according to new findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 15 percent of teen girls said they were forced to have sex, an increase of 27 percent over two years and the first increase since the CDC began tracking it.
[...]
Almost 3 in 5 teenage girls reported feeling so persistently sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in a row during the previous year that they stopped regular activities — a figure that was double the share of boys and the highest in a decade, CDC data showed.
[...]
13% had attempted suicide during the past year, compared with 7% of boys."



What the... I had no idea! What is happening over there? Sure, sure, the article mentions some reasons but I am not sure it's the complete picture.

1 / 7 teenage girls sexually assaulted! I don't think rapes are that high, but sexual assault by a horny boyfriend in the back of the car even if he doesn't go all the way? Weeeell... there's a reason I advise fathers to take a moment to show the house to 16-year-old visiting boys including their knife or gun collection. This is the one thing I can think that guns are good for: reducing the chances your daughter will be in that 15%.

And 3/5 girls so stressed and sad they stop their regular activities for 2 weeks. And 3/10 boys! That's also a high number!
We can blame them for being soft snowflakes but that doesn't solve the issue, does it?

And then, the worse statistic of them all: 1/3 girls considering suicide and 1/8 attempting suicide in the past year + 1/14 boys. that's horrific. And when I say horrific, I don't mean the expression, I mean the stand there frozen (terror) and then lay awake at night thinking if your nieces, the daughters of your friends etc will be there next year. And what is pushing them to consider that.

And to close, this one: "Hoover and others pointed out it is unclear whether the data is influenced by other factors — if girls were more aware of depressive symptoms than boys, for instance, or more inclined to report them — or whether girls are simply far worse off."
So... it could be worse than the numbers given for boys too, but they may be ashamed to report them!


What do you guys think? What are the reasons or some of the reasons, in your opinion for these horrific statistics? What can society do to reverse the trend? Do you think teenagers in other countries have as many issues?

My opinion is that the gradual destruction of the nuclear family and the number of divorces is certainly playing a role here. The expectations placed on girls, not just for beauty (which is real) but also academically certainly adds to that. Put in the number of school shootings making teens wondering whether their school will be the next one in the news (there's a school shooting per day in the USA nowdays) and it starts getting bleak. Then, comes the sexual assault. A girl from a divorced family, struggling with her grades while she wants to socialize with friends that is assaulted by her boyfriend that she was trusting, and then sees all the suicide statistics or hears about the girl next class that attempted suicide... she will consider it. And apparently there's no shortage of teens attempting suicide for her to hear about.

I am not sure how to make teens more thick-skinned and able to brush off online bullies etc without being traumatized or, frankly, how to actually get in their heads that the boyfriend they trust or the gym buddy they tease may try something in that party. I have been a teenager. I was trusting my friends, whether they deserved it or not (they did in most part, thankfully).
What I know is that school councelors and teen mental health people should sit together, have funding and come up with potential tactics and solutions that the parents should read. As in have to read. No, NOT telling parents how to raise their teen! Just a few different strategies on how to do it for the parents to consider.
And telling the parents how big the problem is in school meetings. I honestly doubt that the average 40-years-old knows that 1/3 girls considered suicide. They are, as this article states, very good at hiding it.


EDIT

Key facts

• Nearly 3 in 4 children - or 300 million children - aged 2–4 years regularly suffer physical punishment and/or psychological violence at the hands of parents and caregivers
• One in 5 women and 1 in 13 men report having been sexually abused as a child aged 0-17 years.
• 120 million girls and young women under 20 years of age have suffered some form of forced sexual contact.
• Consequences of child maltreatment include impaired lifelong physical and mental health, and the social and occupational outcomes can ultimately slow a country's economic and social development.
• Child maltreatment is often hidden. Only a fraction of child victims of maltreatment ever gets support from health professionals.
• A child who is abused is more likely to abuse others as an adult so that violence is passed down from one generation to the next. It is therefore critical to break this cycle of violence, and in so doing create positive multi-generational impacts.
• Preventing child maltreatment before it starts is possible and requires a multisectoral approach.
• Effective prevention approaches include supporting parents and teaching positive parenting skills, and enhancing laws to prohibit violent punishment.
• Ongoing care of children and families can reduce the risk of maltreatment reoccurring and can minimize its consequences.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-s...d-maltreatment