What are the main concerns of women in Vermont and which of their needs are not being met? Those are some of the central questions the Vermont Commission on Women is asking residents in a listening project that's been going on for several months.
"We are really trying to get the stories that we haven't gotten before," said Cary Brown, the executive director of the Commission on Women.
Cary Brown spoke to VPR's Henry Epp. Listen to their conversation above.
Brown said so far, the most common concerns focus on health care and economic issues, including housing affordability. Brown said affordable housing can help address domestic violence.
"It's very linked to women's safety, when they're feeling like they need to stay in an unsafe relationship because they literally have nowhere else to go," Brown said. "That's a very concrete problem that we can try to take a look at."
Brown said the commission's survey is ongoing, and it can be completed online. The agency plans to file a report with recommendations for lawmakers ahead of the next legislative session.
