LCWAG Reports on Critical Challenges and Invites Women to Free Community Event

UPDATE - RSVP for the June 23 listening session here: www.LCWAG.org/rsvp

ASHBURN, VA (May 9, 2022)—The Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls (LCWAG) reports on the findings of its Voices of Loudoun Women community assessment series and announces its plans for the next round of data collection. Subsequent rounds of surveys have consistently identified the top three challenges that Loudoun women face are: child care support, employment connections, and access to health care.

LCWAG is a nonprofit organization that promotes leadership development and fosters an inclusive community for Loudoun's women and girls through education, collaboration, and empowerment. To strengthen its next comprehensive assessment, the LCWAG Research & Impact Hub is seeking to hear directly from Loudoun women at an LCWAG listening session on May 24 from 6-7:30 pm in Meeting Room A at Cascades Library.

“After the startling realization that one in three Loudoun women surveyed are experiencing a major challenge, our team decided it was critical to hear directly from Loudoun women about the solutions they want to see in our community,” said Angela Mitchell, LCWAG Chair. “We hope that women will join us for this free listening session and entrust us to share their opinions, thoughts, and solutions over light refreshments.”

The findings detailed in the research brief come from surveys conducted by the LCWAG Research & Impact Hub during winter 2020 and spring 2021. Over 600 responses total were collected from women residing in Loudoun County. The brief highlights data on how local women are experiencing recovery from the pandemic and its impacts, including:

  • 44% of Loudoun women surveyed with school-age children report child care as an unmet need.

  • More than half of Loudoun women surveyed reported increased family responsibilities and the struggle to balance work as the major factors that have impacted their career.

  • One in ten Loudoun women surveyed in spring 2021 reported needing connections to employment or other workforce support.

  • 63% of Loudoun women surveyed reported skipping preventative health services – significantly higher than the national rate.

  • More than ⅔ of women surveyed reported that COVID-19 impacted their mental health.

RSVP for the June 23 listening session here: www.LCWAG.org/rsvp

Download the Voices of Loudoun Women research brief: Voices of Loudoun Women

Media Contact: Amber Styles, 571-268-5285, research@lcwag.org

LCWAG Contributor