HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-22-21 Public Comment - J. Strout & S. Stewart - BudgetFrom:Jan Strout
To:Agenda
Subject:Comment to City Commission: City of Bozeman proposed Budget FY 2022
Date:Tuesday, June 22, 2021 11:43:09 AM
Attachments:City Commission Comment - FY 2022 Budget Recommendations - Jan Strout & Susan Stewart.docx
CEDAW Report and Recommendations on Women and Girls - 2019 UPDATED Format.pdf
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Dear Mayor and City Commissioners,
Please see attached Comments from Susan Stewart and myself.
Thank you.
In sisterhood and solidarity,
Jan
Jan Strout
pronouns: she/ella
co-leader, Bozeman for CEDAW Initiative
and
Susan Stewart, enrolled member of Crow Tribe and descendent of Blackfeet Tribe
Fierce Women Warrier Society, founding member, Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana
June 22, 2021
Dear Mayor and City Commissioners,
My name is Jan Strout, pronouns are she/hers and I live at 2322 W. Beall St,
Bozeman. I am an educator and advocate for the comprehensive human rights for all
women, girls and those people most marginalized. I am one of the co-leaders of
the Bozeman Task Force to Advance the Status and Safety of All Women and Girls (or
Bozeman Task Force) and bring an intersectional lens to end all forms of poverty,
discrimination and violence.
Budgets are so much more than funding and revenue - although both are clearly
important - because they represent a community's values and priorities. Budgets can
advance human dignity, human rights, economic security, community safety and health
and well-being. That's why The Task Force cares about the Budget, among other tools,
policies, education and social protections, as a key resource.
That is why Susan Stewart, enrolled member of the Crow Tribe and founding member of
the Women Warriors Society here in Bozeman, and I urge your strongest consideration
of priorities that recognize the most vulnerable and impacted in our
community. Especially, but not only, because we are still in the midst of a slow, fragile
recovery from a health pandemic and economic crisis.
Using the City Budget as the tool it is - or can be - will lift up values of centering those
most marginalized from the structural violence of discrimination, harassment, abuse,
gaslighting, indignity, inequity, and yes, invisibility. By exposing the lack of community
safety prevention strategies for women, girls, BIPOC, and the LGBTQ and Two Spirited
communities, our Welcoming City can then create the conditions for economic security,
community safety and health and well-being by closing the immediate gaps now by
funding direct relief from Pandemic support ARPA and - over time - work to eliminate
and prevent them with strategic data, knowledge, best practices, political will and
persistence.
Numerous studies with data collected all over the United States and even globally have
painted a dire picture of COVID's harsh treatment of the diversity of women including of
color, Indigenous, women and families in poverty, without health care, or child or elder
care or safety or social or personal protection.
Examples listed below - and many more - call for permanent structural changes in our
assumptions, thinking, strategic priorities, who and what we value, from intersectional
data gathering to identify and measure the gaps and inequities that need closing and
ending. Then locating best practices from communities similar to Bozeman in order to
not just alleviate and react to this health, safety and economic crisis - but learn from
and prevent them in the future. Which is now.
COVID 19 dramatically laid bare issues that existed pre-pandemic. That's why this 2022
FY City of Bozeman proposed Budget a good place to start and here are some
Recommendations to move beyond the "back to normal" assumptions when that was
never good enough and everything has changed.
Our Recommendations: 1. The Bozeman Task Force has been very concerned about the specific impacts of
COVID's Health, Safety and Economic crisis on the most marginalized women and girls
in our greater community. That is why we look forward to the Equity Indicators and
Gaps Analysis. We would like to see adequate money - at least $50K directly allocated
for this purpose - in the City Manager budget for diversity, equity and inclusion work.
This could immediately respond to and begin work on the findings to ensure that women
and girls most marginalized are centered to study the Pandemic's impacts and what is
needed. Why this data analysis is so necessary, as we have learned, is because of how many
unsuccessful attempts we made through our 2019 Report and Recommendations (attached) to not only seek relevant data that can be consistent, intersectional and
compared from 46 different City and County as well as some Montana sources. But also,
we ultimately discovered, mostly because of what is not there at all in that data - the
invisibility of women and girls - needed to reach any conclusions about the status of
diverse women and girls in our community. These findings will benefit the whole community - when nearly 50% of the City population – reflects the needs and
experiences of diverse women, girls and families are included and lifted up at the time of
the Pandemic and resulting disparities from the economic crisis from such a study. This
investment has the potential to make a positive impact on all City planning: for our
strategic goals; program development and evaluation; equity, diversity and inclusion
policies and remedies; crime prevention and reduction; mental, physical health and well-
being; and economic security.
2. Our Task Force's Community Safety Action Group seeks earmarked funding that can
be used to prevent crime resulting in enhanced community safety for all. Not just
respond after the fact. We support Reallocating Police Funds for this reason. One
way is to “…study the CAHOOTS mental health crisis response collaborative in Eugene,
Oregon and consider whether or not this approach might work well in the greater
Bozeman Area" as described in the recent June 15th Bozeman Chronicle article.
Why is this critically important? Given the probability of an increasingly violent
landscape from new State Legislation permitting few, if any, restrictions on guns
everywhere, known and emerging numbers of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
and Peoples, increasing levels of mostly invisible intimate partner violence before and
during the Pandemic supported from the statistics from HAVEN, and economic
insecurities impacting women and families and others most marginalized in
community, we support an amount of $200K by reallocating funds from the Police
Department to not only study but implement a program to better respond to and
support folks experiencing behavioral crisis and folks experiencing homelessness. This
moves us toward community safety.
3. American Recovery Plan Act Funds. Given what we know from earlier CARES
ACT federal financial support to our community businesses and individual supports - with
the existing and growing economic inequality - we believe it is crucial to add/rededicated money in the APRA Fund for assistance to households negatively impacted by the
pandemic. Not only is this essential assistance to the disparate impact of the pandemic
and economic crisis on women and girls most marginalized, we cannot forget the actual
gendered and racial pay inequity and lack of comparable worth that already starts us off
at an unfair structural disadvantage in trying to survive.
We appreciate your leadership throughout a most unimaginable time for all of us and
our community. Now is the time with the 2022 FY Budget to build a more fair, secure
and safer future by taking these steps in the City's Budget deliberations and
amendments that are necessary to lead by example in modeling values Bozeman is
proud to claim as a welcoming, equitable and sustainable City.
Thank you for your consideration.
Jan Strout
co-leader, Bozeman for CEDAW Initiative
and Susan Stewart, enrolled member of Crow Tribe and descendent of Blackfeet Tribe
Fierce Women Warrier Society, founding member
Artist, featured in the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture's exhibit, "We are Still Here and Here is
Our Story"
Bozeman, Montana
Gendered and Racial Impacts of the Pandemic and Economic Crisis Research:
A Slow Climb Back from the “She-Cession”: High Jobs Deficit in Child Care and School
Sectors Continues - IWPR 2020
COVID-19 is Exposing the Need for Permanent Structural Change - Ms. Magazine
Further still, the resulting mental health consequences are compounded exponentially:
Women Carry An Undue Mental Health Burden. They Shouldn’t Have To - Ms.
Magazine
More challenging is the lack of data in Montana and especially in our community on
gendered and racial impacts of the Pandemic - with this recent exception on severe child
care shortages - from the Montana Budget and Policy Center:
Report highlights child care shortages in Montana | Montana Budget & Policy Center If there is one thing that this Pandemic has taught us, it's that "back to normal" is not
an option. That is why pro-active policies and budgeting is needed for a full, equitable
and inclusive recovery: Institute for Women's Policy Research's Report on Build(ing)
the Future: Bold Policies for a Gender-Equitable Recovery
Policy Landing Page November 2020 - IWPR 2020
BOZEMAN FOR CEDAW INITIATIVE
Cities for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and Girls
https://www.facebook.com/bozemanforcedaw/
Bozeman Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Presented by the Bozeman for CEDAW Initiative Steering Committee
September 19, 2019
U.S. Cities for the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women and Girls (or CEDAW), also
known as the Women’s Bill of Rights, uses a human rights framework to outline barriers and
discrimination faced by women and girls in small towns to large cities. For women and girls to enjoy their
full human rights and fundamental freedoms, all discriminatory barriers must be eliminated. CEDAW
ensures that governments, in conjunction with the community, are working toward protecting, respecting
and fulfilling the human rights of all women and girls.
The Bozeman for CEDAW Initiative is a non-partisan, all volunteer effort by community members that
grew out of our original request to the Bozeman City Commission to adopt a City for CEDAW Resolution in
May of 2018. This Initiative has been endorsed by over 30 community leaders and organizations, the
Bozeman Chronicle, more than 20 letters to the editor and over 1,700 City residents’ signatures on a
Petition to support the CEDAW Ordinance. We are committed to taking positive actions that advance the
human rights of all Bozeman’s women and girls, especially the most vulnerable.
We believe that it is the responsibility of all public and other sectors of our community to critically analyze
how they can advance the human rights of Bozeman’s women and girls on their path toward gender
equity, diversity and inclusion. We hope that this Report to the members of our Bozeman City
Commission and current candidates for the positions of Mayor and City Commissioner will engender and
urge support for our proposed Ordinance to become a City for CEDAW.
We know that Bozeman becoming a City for CEDAW is an investment in the fair and equitable treatment
of all Bozeman's women and girls who, when empowered, can further their own human dignity and
family’s economic security as well as the prosperity of our community!
What do we know about the lives of women and girls in Bozeman?
When women are empowered and treated fairly, Bozeman and all Montana communities prosper. We
believe that there is a need to protect and expand the human rights of women and girls by addressing
discrimination in political, social, economic, educational and cultural areas. Our Initiative’s work explored
the intersection of three of these key areas:
Gender-Based Violence – ranging from domestic violence and sexual assault to dating violence
and hate crimes.
As the struggle for women's rights has continued, it has become clear - most recently with the
#MeToo movement - that there is much that is unknown about the barriers to equality. We
should support, in a measured way, the quest for better information so we can better guide our
action in this movement for fairness, equality, and justice."
Carson Taylor, Mayor, City of Bozeman (2015-2017)
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page2 Economic Status - how pay inequities and lack of living wages with benefits impact women as
single heads of households, particularly in terms of access to health care, safe housing, child care
and food security.
Health Indicators - how the impacts of sexism, racism, and violence-related trauma take a toll on
women's physical and mental health, including suicide risks.
To explore the realities and experiences of women and girls in Bozeman today, we reviewed 46
government reports, social service data or annual reports, and correspondence we initiated from a wide
range of institutions and agencies serving our city.1 To understand how women and girls fare at the
intersections of gender, race/ethnicity and class, we asked three fundamental questions:
1. How Safe is our Community for Women and Girls?
2. How Economically Secure Are Women and Girls who Work and Live in Bozeman?
3. What are the Challenges to the Health and Well-being of Bozeman’s Women and Girls?
The responses to these questions are laid out on the following three pages.
The facts found in our review of public documents reveal a flat, or one-dimensional picture of the lives of
women in our community. What we found missing are the contours and depth that emerge when we can
study the intersections of gender, race/ethnicity, age, education, income, sexual orientation and ability.
These intersections shape what the lives of women in our community look like, what women have access
to, and what challenges they face.
How does the economic status of women and girls affect their mental and physical health?
How can Bozeman address poverty driven by low wages and unequal pay of women - set against
the need to provide safe housing, child care and food - given our high cost of living?
How do we combat the corrosive impacts of bullying, harassment and intimidation of women and
girls in our homes, schools, and workplaces?
The extent to which girls’ and women’s lives are affected by a range of conditions and differences that
limit their ability to enjoy full economic security and fulfill their potential is increasingly clear.
Intersectional data could strengthen Bozeman's Strategic Planning process, better prioritize scarce
financial resources, determine allocation of City services to those most vulnerable, and help concentrate
its safety and prevention personnel, measures and training to enhance our Livable City so all can thrive. A
City for CEDAW offers the best hope for making those connections in ways that lead to humane and
dignified lives.
1 Ten sources on Gender-Based Violence, twelve sources on Economic Status, twelve sources on Health Indicators, six sources
on Education and two sources on City of Bozeman demographics.
"There are dedicated organizations in Bozeman working on the community’s most pressing
issues, but the key to transformative action is coordination and collaboration among these
organizations to address ending the feminization of poverty and other economic insecurity.”
Heather Grenier, President & CEO – Human Resources Development Council
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
How Safe is Our Community for Women and Girls?
Both law enforcement and
COMBINED REPORTS FROM
.2%
78%
17%
4%
TYPES OF GENDER
CRIMES REPORTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
“Domestic violence homicides are
preventable. Abuse is preventable. To create
a future without violence, we need a
community engaged in ending oppression at
all levels of the pyramid of violence."
Erica Coyle, Executive Director
GENDER
13% of area residents report being a victim of intimate partner violence (hit, slapped, pushed,
kicked, hurt in any way).4
The Help Center had 329 reports of interpersonal violence in 2017. They
victims of sexual assault and accompanied 59 women for forensic exams in 2018.
HAVEN reported a 14% increase in participants in FY 2017
women.6
2 Bozeman Police Department, 2016 Annual Review
https://www.bozeman.net/government/police/crime
2 MSU Office of the Dean of Students, 2017 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
53-54, http://www.montana.edu/reports/security.pdf, (September 2019).
3 MSU Office of the Dean of Students, (2017) 6 and (2018) 54.
4 Professional Research Consultants, 2017 Community Health Needs Assessment
Health Deaconess Hospital, Community Health Partners, & Gallatin City
http://healthinfo.montana.edu/morh/Gallatin
5 Help Center, Annual Report (2018) 4. Help Center, Data set (2017) Bozeman, MT.
6 HAVEN, Annual Report (FY2016-2017). HAVEN,
7 Coyle, Erica, "Time for Bozeman to take stand for gender equity,"
https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/guest_columnists/time
equity/article_130adf9c-ed43-5856
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
How Safe is Our Community for Women and Girls?
Both law enforcement and service providers data show significant gender-based violence
COMBINED REPORTS FROM BOZEMAN AND MSU POLICE DEPARTMENTS
TYPES OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AS
CRIMES REPORTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
Domestic Violence
Rape
Stalking
Fondling/Dating
Violence
Bozeman and MSU
Police Departments
882 calls for service on
gender-based violence
incidents during
and 2017
MSU had 11 reports of
hate crimes in 2016 and
2017 based on racial
bias, sexual orientation,
gender identity, and
national origin.
Domestic violence homicides are
preventable. Abuse is preventable. To create
a future without violence, we need a
community engaged in ending oppression at
all levels of the pyramid of violence."
Erica Coyle, Executive Director – HAVEN7
HAVEN Participant
Race/Ethnicity
7% Native American
6.5% Latino
2.6% Multiple Ethnicities
1.6% African American
1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific
Islander
0.2% Asian
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: BY THE NUMBERS
13% of area residents report being a victim of intimate partner violence (hit, slapped, pushed,
The Help Center had 329 reports of interpersonal violence in 2017. They advocated for 120 adult
victims of sexual assault and accompanied 59 women for forensic exams in 2018.5
HAVEN reported a 14% increase in participants in FY 2017-2018: 87% of those participants were
2016 Annual Review and 2017 Annual Review, 4,
https://www.bozeman.net/government/police/crime-information, (September 2019).
2017 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, 49-50 and 2018 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
54, http://www.montana.edu/reports/security.pdf, (September 2019).
MSU Office of the Dean of Students, (2017) 6 and (2018) 54.
Community Health Needs Assessment Report: Gallatin, Madison & Park Counties, MT
Health Deaconess Hospital, Community Health Partners, & Gallatin City-County Health Department, 33,
http://healthinfo.montana.edu/morh/Gallatin-Madison-Park-Counties-CHNA.pdf, (September 2019).
(2018) 4. Help Center, Data set (2017) Bozeman, MT.
2017). HAVEN, Annual Report (FY2017-2018) 1, 2, Bozeman, MT.
Time for Bozeman to take stand for gender equity," Bozeman Chronicle, May 8, 2019,
https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/guest_columnists/time-for-bozeman-to-take-stand-for
5856-8384-6e9a9a01245e.html, (September 2019).
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls Page3 based violence.
BOZEMAN AND MSU POLICE DEPARTMENTS2
Bozeman and MSU
epartments had
calls for service on
based violence
incidents during 2016
2017.2
MSU had 11 reports of
ate crimes in 2016 and
2017 based on racial
bias, sexual orientation,
gender identity, and
national origin.3
Participants by
Race/Ethnicity6
Native American
Multiple Ethnicities
African American
Native Hawaiian/Pacific
13% of area residents report being a victim of intimate partner violence (hit, slapped, pushed,
advocated for 120 adult
2018: 87% of those participants were
nnual Security and Fire Safety Report,
Report: Gallatin, Madison & Park Counties, MT, Bozeman
for-gender-
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
How Economically Secure ar
We found two primary influences on economic security: A Gender Pay Gap and Basic Living Costs
STARTING WAGES FOR THOSE COMPLETING JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS
$14.25/hour Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
93% of participants were female, 7% male
CITY OF BOZEMAN EMPLOYEES
ECONOMIC INSECURITY
Gender Pay Gap 7.7%
92.3%
Of the top 25% highest paid
jobs with the City of Bozeman,
92.3% were held by men and
7.7% were held by women.
8 Career Transitions, Email to CEDAW Steering Committee, received
9 City of Bozeman, "City Progress Report-Equal Pay
http://weblink.bozeman.net/WebLink8/0/doc/1784
10 Bridgercare, Statistical snapshot (2013-2019) sent to CEDAW Steering Committee, Bozeman, MT
12 MT Department of Labor and Industry, "Bozeman Area Labor Report
Special%20Reports%20and%20Studies/BozemanReport2019.pdf,
13 HRDC, Special report on female to male ratio for client services created for CEDAW Steering Committee, 2019, Boz
Health Care: 85% of women using Bridgercare as a
health care provider were below 200% of poverty.
Mental Health Care: 49% of mental health providers in
the Help Center data base do not accept Medicaid.
Access to Childcare: There are only enough providers to
meet 33% of the need in the Gallatin Valley.
Housing/Food: Between 2013 and 2017,
140% increase in the number of women they
through their programs.13
Basic Living Costs Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
48%
54%
Women in Boz Housing
How Economically Secure are Women and Girls Who Work and Live in Bozeman?
We found two primary influences on economic security: A Gender Pay Gap and Basic Living Costs
STARTING WAGES FOR THOSE COMPLETING JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS
$14.25/hour Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) $22.50/hour Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
93% of participants were female, 7% male 100% of participants were male, 0% female
CITY OF BOZEMAN EMPLOYEES EXPERIENCE GENDER PAY DISPARITIES
ECONOMIC INSECURITY
The % of women seeking housing, food and
energy assistance compared to % of women
in the general population.
69.8
%
100
%
73.3
%female male female grad Women’s median pay, with
comparable education, is
69.8% of what men make.
“We find that the female
of household, most often a
single mom, is bearing the brunt
of finding affordable housing
for their family in our hyper
competitive housing market.”
Rev. Roxanne Klingensmith
Family Promise
With a graduate degree, women
make 73.3% of men’s earnings.
"The amazing thing about the
gender pay gap is that, while it
is well-documented and
universally acknowledged, we
can't seem to move the
a society.”
Melissa Herron
Business &
Of the top 25% highest paid
jobs with the City of Bozeman,
92.3% were held by men and
7.7% were held by women.
Career Transitions, Email to CEDAW Steering Committee, received August 23, 2019, Belgrade, MT.
Equal Pay," 04-01-19 City Commission Packet Materials-SP2, Bozeman, MT,
http://weblink.bozeman.net/WebLink8/0/doc/178493/Electronic.aspx, (September 2019).
2019) sent to CEDAW Steering Committee, Bozeman, MT. 11 Help Center,
Bozeman Area Labor Report," 2019, 4, http://lmi.mt.gov/Portals/193/Publications/LMIPubs/
eports%20and%20Studies/BozemanReport2019.pdf, (September 2019).
HRDC, Special report on female to male ratio for client services created for CEDAW Steering Committee, 2019, Boz
85% of women using Bridgercare as a
health care provider were below 200% of poverty.10
49% of mental health providers in
the Help Center data base do not accept Medicaid.11
There are only enough providers to
33% of the need in the Gallatin Valley.12
Between 2013 and 2017, HRDC saw a
the number of women they served
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls Page4
55%
65%
Food Energy
Live in Bozeman?
We found two primary influences on economic security: A Gender Pay Gap and Basic Living Costs.
STARTING WAGES FOR THOSE COMPLETING JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS8
ommercial Driver's License (CDL)
icipants were male, 0% female
EXPERIENCE GENDER PAY DISPARITIES9
The % of women seeking housing, food and
energy assistance compared to % of women
in the general population.13
“We find that the female head
of household, most often a
single mom, is bearing the brunt
of finding affordable housing
for their family in our hyper-
competitive housing market.”
Rev. Roxanne Klingensmith -
Family Promise
"The amazing thing about the
gender pay gap is that, while it
documented and
universally acknowledged, we
can't seem to move the dial as
a society.”
Melissa Herron - President,
Professional Women
Help Center, Annual Report, 2018, 1.
," 2019, 4, http://lmi.mt.gov/Portals/193/Publications/LMIPubs/
HRDC, Special report on female to male ratio for client services created for CEDAW Steering Committee, 2019, Bozeman, MT.
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Mental Health
Stressors14
by % of Bozeman
respondents
(see Note)
Experience
poor to fair
mental health
(13.5%)
Chronic
depression
(33% of
females vs
27% of men)
Worry or stress
over
rent/mortgage
(23.8%)
Worry about
running out of
food (13.8%)
What are the Challenges to the Health
Economic insecurity and lack of personal safety impact women and girls
“Women and girls are
disproportionately affected by
violence. Experiencing violence
is a major precursor to many
significant health problems."
Katy Osterloth - RNC, Sexual
Assault Nurse Examiner, Forensic
Nursing Program Coordinator
"Access to reproductive
services is increasingly
threatened."
Stephanie McDowell - Bridgercare
14 Professional Research Consultants, 2017 Community Health Needs Assessment Report: Gallatin, Madison & Park Counties, MT
Health Deaconess Hospital, Community Health Partners, & Gallatin City
http://healthinfo.montana.edu/morh/Gallatin
15 Help Center, "Annual Report," 2018, 2, Bozeman, MT
16 HRDC, Special report on female to male ratio for client services created for CEDAW Steering Committee, 2019, Bozeman, MT
17 Gallatin City-County Health Department, "2018
https://www.healthygallatin.org/community
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Mental Health
14
by % of Bozeman
respondents
Experience
poor to fair
mental health
Unable to get
mental health
services
(2.6%)
Perceive own
neighborhood
as unsafe
(5.1%)
(excluding race)
depression
females vs
27% of men)
Physical and
safety indicators
13% of area
residents
report being a
victim of
intimate
partner
violence.14
Of homes with
firearms, %
who leave
them unlocked
and loaded
(20.4%)14
No prenatal
care in the first
trimester of
pregnancy
(26%)17
Limited
activities due
to physical,
mental, or
emotional
problem
(24.5%)14
What are the Challenges to the Health and Well-being of Women and Girls?
Economic insecurity and lack of personal safety impact women and girls
Note: 14
This Needs Assessment broke out
(a) Bozeman respondents
demographic percentages across three
counties.
We selected indicators we found to
be potentially relevant to women
AND where researchers indicated the
item was "higher or notably higher"
for women, lower income levels and
residents of another or unk
The % here represent
respondents who indicat
true for them.
Community Health Needs Assessment Report: Gallatin, Madison & Park Counties, MT
, Community Health Partners, & Gallatin City-County Health Department, 24-35,
a.edu/morh/Gallatin-Madison-Park-Counties-CHNA.pdf, (September 2019).
," 2018, 2, Bozeman, MT.
HRDC, Special report on female to male ratio for client services created for CEDAW Steering Committee, 2019, Bozeman, MT
2018 Community Health Needs Assessment, Gallatin County, Montana,"
https://www.healthygallatin.org/community-health/community-health-assessment/, (September 2019).
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls Page5 Suicide Risk
Assessments at
the Help
Center
increased by
20% in 2018.15
Female
recipients of
LIEAP, Energy
Share, and
Weatheriztion
(65%)16
being of Women and Girls?
Economic insecurity and lack of personal safety impact women and girls.
This Needs Assessment broke out
) Bozeman respondents and (b)
demographic percentages across three
We selected indicators we found to
be potentially relevant to women
researchers indicated the
item was "higher or notably higher"
for women, lower income levels and
residents of another or unknown race.
The % here represents all Bozeman
indicated this was
Community Health Needs Assessment Report: Gallatin, Madison & Park Counties, MT, Bozeman
35,
HRDC, Special report on female to male ratio for client services created for CEDAW Steering Committee, 2019, Bozeman, MT.
," 34,
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page6 Our Recommendations Regarding Data Collection and Reporting that will Benefit the Lives of all
Bozeman’s Women and Girls
As we gathered existing information, we discovered a lack of specificity in the data related to gender for
most of the key areas we explored. There is a veritable “invisibility” of women and girls in crucial data.
Without being able to analyze key societal issues on a gender-specific basis, a proper identification of gaps
and needs is impossible. We offer the following recommendations regarding data collection and
reporting in order to provide the opportunity for a more complete picture of these important issues in the
future:
1. Consistency and expansion of crime statistics. Currently, MSU police and Bozeman City police
report crime statistics using different categories and providing different levels of detail. To
accurately track impacted groups, crime statistics should break out age, race and gender of
victims in a consistent way that is readily sortable.
2. More specificity in surveys and studies related to gender, race/ethnicity, age and income.
The City of Bozeman has conducted numerous studies (EPS, Affordable Housing, etc.) and surveys
(downtown business plan, community plan, etc.). Where feasible, the studies and surveys should
gather information regarding gender, income, and race/ethnicity. Including this information may
reveal gaps or opportunities that are otherwise unknown. As a leader for other governmental
agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses, the City is positioned to set a standard that
models inclusive and uniform demographic data-gathering allowing more sophisticated
comparisons.
3. Geographic Specific Reports and Studies. Much of the data collected included geographic areas
that encompass Gallatin, Park, and Madison counties or the entire State of Montana. Pulling site-
specific demographic data for Bozeman itself was not possible. Statewide data informs us of
pressing, immediate and/or hidden issues that could be facing women and girls in our community.
For example,
"There are more than 1,400 emergency department visits annually for intentional self-
harm in Montana with women about twice as likely as men to be admitted to the
emergency room with a suicide attempt."18
Montana ranks 5th in the nation for the highest number of missing or murdered
Indigenous women.19
"Each episode of LGBTQ victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse,
increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average."20
How these trends impact women and girls in Bozeman cannot be explored without
breakouts around intersections of gender by race/ethnicity, income levels or age. Tying Bozeman
realities to state and national trends could prioritize best practices in planning, policies and
budgeting.
___________________________
18 Department of Health and Human Services, "Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan," 2019, 2,
https://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Interim/2017-2018/Children-Family/Meetings/Sept-2018/sept2018-suicide-
prevention-plan.pdf
19 Urban Indian Health Institute, "Missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls: A snapshot of data from 71 cities in the
United States," 2017, 10, https://www.uihi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Missing-and-Murdered-Indigenous-Women-
and-Girls-Report.pdf, (September 2019).
20 Department of Health and Human Services, "Suicide in Montana: Facts, Figures, and Formulas for Prevention," August 2018, 3,
https://dphhs.mt.gov/Portals/85/suicideprevention/SuicideinMontana.pdf, (September 2019).
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page7 4. The Bozeman City Commission should adopt an Ordinance as a City for CEDAW. As a City for
CEDAW, the City Commission would appoint a Commission or Task Force to recommend ways to
address the status of women and girls in Bozeman. This Task force would be accountable to the
Commission for designing a process and Action Plan to redress areas of gender and other
identified discriminations. This would require completing a comprehensive intersectional gender
analysis of the city’s policies, budget, and workforce with other demographic factors like race,
ethnicity, age, ability, and sexual orientation. The Task Force could utilize grants and other
outside funding opportunities to support this project and there are numerous potential
collaborators in Montana. By adopting an Ordinance, the City of Bozeman demonstrates
commitment and provides additional credibility for advancing the human rights of all our
community’s women and girls.
Why should we support a Bozeman Cities for CEDAW Ordinance?
Other Bozeman City policies and laws prohibit specific acts of discrimination based on gender (like equal
pay for equal work, gender-based violence and the Non-Discrimination Ordinance that protects LGBTQ
city residents). An Ordinance based on CEDAW principles comprehensively addresses human rights of
women and girls because, in addition to addressing gender- based discrimination, it focuses on ending all
barriers and forms of discrimination against women and girls. This would include barriers based in race
and ethnicity, abuse and violence, class and economic security, and access to healthcare. An Ordinance
would support provisions for monitoring the progress and effectiveness of the procedures used to
eradicate these barriers.
Our Conclusion
We know that when women are visible, valued, respected and living in safety as contributing members of
our community, we can change women’s and girls’ lives and our world. Not for the few to succeed, but
for the many, and for all. This is the time to strengthen our intention to fully implement policies of human
dignity and rights for the betterment of all of our residents by adopting an Ordinance for Bozeman as a
City for CEDAW.
"One clear interpretation we can make, is that what is not visible is then invisible to us as a
community. We are socialized to view ourselves through this fractured lens. Just like we
know that sexual assault and intimate partner violence happens but is under-reported. Just
like we know that caring for children impacts our ability to realize our full economic power but
it’s hard to assess how and what that impact is. So it is that what we don’t know in the data
becomes the most compelling question: what is the invisible story that is not being held to the
light of day?"
Lei-Anna Bertelsen, Mathematics Educator and Consultant
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page8
Appendices
Information Sources on CEDAW
CEDAW in Brief:
http://citiesforcedaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CEDAW_2-Pager_15-March-2018.pdf
Cities for CEDAW:
http://citiesforcedaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Landscape-Cities-for-CEDAW-Branded-
for-Website-June-27-2019.pdf
Information Sources
Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital
Bozeman Police Department
Bridgercare
Career Transitions
Child Care Connections
City of Bozeman
Community Health Partners
802 S Grand
Family Promise
Gallatin City-County Health Department
Gallatin County Detention Center
HAVEN
Help Center
Human Resources Development Council
MSU: Diversity and Inclusion Office
MSU: Office of the Dean of Students
MSU: Office of Planning and Analysis
MSU Police Department
MT Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Prospera Business Network
State of Montana: Department of Health and
Human Services
State of Montana: Dept of Labor & Industry
State of Montana: Office of Public Instruction
Susan Wickland Fund
U.S. Census
U.S. Centers for Disease Control
Urban Indian Health Institute
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page9 2019-2020 Steering Committee Members
Bozeman for CEDAW Initiative (Cities for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination
Against Women and Girls)
Affiliations for Identification purposes only
Heide Arneson, Bozeman School Board Trustee and former Vice Chair; U.S. Air Force Veteran
406/599-3533 tomtemom@bresnan.net
Lei-Anna Bertelsen, Mathematics Educator and Consultant
406/579-9965 leiannabertelsen@gmail.com
Terry Cunningham, Commissioner, City of Bozeman
406/581-2060 tcunningham@mcn.net
Cam Doran, MSU Student and former Voter Registration Organizer/Internship Coordinator,
Forward Montana
406-381-4217 camdoran1@gmail.com
Lauren Gette-King, Visions Service Adventures; MSU Spanish faculty - co-leader
907/354-5456 lauren.gette.king@gmail.com
The Rev. Roxanne Klingensmith, Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association liaison & Board member,
Family Promise
406/580-4748 julianofnorwich@msn.com
Lori Morgan, Therapist, small business owner lorihappydays@gmail.com
Ann Rupert and Emily Allison, Bridgercare SW Montana Family Planning Ce
218/491-4379 arupert@bridgercare.org and eallison@bridgercare.org
Jan Strout, President, Montana Chapter, National Organization for Women – co-leader
206/251-0880 janchangethatworks@yahoo.com
Carson Taylor, Mayor, City of Bozeman (2015-17)
406/579-6423 carsongtaylor@gmail.com
Dr. Franke Wilmer, Professor and Department Head, MSU Department of Political Science (on
sabbatical until January 15, 2020)
406/599-3639 frankewilmer1@gmail.com
Key Advisors
Dr. Sarah Allen, Assistant Professor, Family Life and Human Development, Southern Utah University
Jane Arntzen-Schmacher, Executive Director, Child Care Connections - jane@cccmontana.org
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page10 Rev. Lindean Barnett Christenson, Moderator, Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association
lindean@ctkbozeman.org
Erica Coyle, Executive Director, The HAVEN - erica@havenmt.org
Betsy Danforth, Director, MSU Women’s Center and Chair, President’s Commission on the Status of
University Women - Danforth@montana.edu
Dr. Krishanti Dharmaraj, E.D., Center for Women’s Global Leadership, Rutgers University
Jen Euell, Program Director, Women’s Foundation of Montana - jeneuell@mtcf.org
Bill Goold, former staff, Progressive Congressional Caucus - j.william.goold@gmail.com
Heather Grenier, President/CEO, Human Resources Development Council - hgrenier@thehrdc.org
Clare Hendricks, MSU Student and former BSHS President, X-2 Club - clare92010@gmail.com
Melissa Herron, President, Bozeman Business and Professional Women - president@bozemanbpw.org
Jane Brown Howard, MSU Development Administrator (retired) - janebrownhoward@gmail.com
I-Ho Pomeroy, Commissioner, City of Bozeman and Business Owner - ihoandderik@gmail.com
Dr. Lucille Pope, Principal, Collaborative Consulting – Lucille.Pope@yahoo.com
Erika Ross, Consultant, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls - erika1@montana.edu
Yvonne Rudman, MSU Administrator (retired) - ymrudman@gmail.com
Ann Schrader, Consultant, Changing Directions – aschrader54@gmail.com
Francine Spang-Willis, graduate student, Columbia University - francinespangwillis@gmail.com
Rev. Valerie Webster, Director, Montana Association of Christians - vwebster587@gmail.com
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page11 PROPOSED RESOLUTION for the City of Bozeman, Montana
to Advance all Women’s and Girls’ Human Rights by becoming a City for CEDAW
WHEREAS, Bozeman’s women and girls have made gains in the struggle for equality in many fields, there
is a continued need to protect and expand the human rights of women and girls by addressing
discrimination in economic, cultural, political and social areas to achieve one of the most basic human
rights, equality; and
WHEREAS, Bozeman, Montana, as a Welcoming City, recognizes that when there are fair and equitable
investments in the lives of all women and girls, our community prospers and therefore will be a city free
of gender and other discrimination and all forms of violence; and
WHEREAS, statistics gathered in the Bozeman Cities for CEDAW FACT Sheet in areas of Work and Family,
Health and Education, Public Life and Political Participation powerfully demonstrate multiple reasons to
learn about, document and advance all women’s and girls’ human rights here in the City of Bozeman;
there are significant areas of research missing and needed from other demographic factors such as
Indigenous women, women of color, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, economic class, disability and
gender identity; and
WHEREAS, the Bozeman City Commission wishes to adopt positive measures to ensure the full
enjoyment of the rights of women and girls as recognized in local, state, federal and international laws,
including CEDAW (UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women);
and
WHEREAS, Cities for CEDAW ordinances are based on the principles of CEDAW whose purpose is to
advance the human rights of all women and girls as a path toward gender equity, diversity and inclusion
and provide a comprehensive framework with three standards: 1) a gender analysis of cities and
communities; 2) an oversight body to ensure that appropriate and timely actions are taken; and 3)
creation of an Action Plan based on evidence of any gender and other discrimination in order for
governments to examine their own policies, discover best practices and then rectify discrimination
based on gender and other demographic factors; and
WHEREAS, the City of Bozeman Strategic Plan Vision calls for a safe, inclusive community fostering civic
engagement and creativity, with a thriving diversified economy, strong environmental ethic and high
quality of life; and knowledge gathered through a Gender Analysis can specifically help identify diversity
goals, local government best practices and address areas of our City's policies, programs and budget
which may adversely impact segments of our community population; and
WHEREAS, a City for CEDAW Ordinance would build-on the City of Bozeman's commitment to fairness,
inclusion and equity evidenced in the LGBT Non-Discrimination Ordinance, the Equal Pay for Equal Work
Resolution, the Indigenous People's Day and the Domestic Violence Mayoral Proclamations; and
WHEREAS, City governments have an appropriate and legitimate role affirming the importance of
eliminating all forms of discrimination against women in communities as universal norms and serve as
guides for public policy; and
Report and Recommendations to Advance the Status of All Women and Girls
Page12 WHEREAS the United States Conference of Mayors, in 2014, urged cities across the United States to join
40+ U.S. Cities for CEDAW who have adopted Ordinances and/or Resolutions (such as Salt Lake City,
Cincinnati, Louisville, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Durham County) and 30+ cities in progress to participate
in the Cities for CEDAW Initiative and pass local ordinances/resolutions reflecting the principles of
CEDAW;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Commission appoint a Task Force on Gender Equity, Diversity
and Inclusion comprised of women and men of different backgrounds to provide advice, oversight,
gender equity and diversity expertise to monitor, support and prioritize phases and scope of the Gender
Analysis and the City’s implementation of this CEDAW Resolution consistent with the City’s
budget priorities and the opportunities for partnerships; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a Gender Analysis with diverse demographics of the City of Bozeman be
conducted through partnerships with Montana State University, related community organizations and
interested businesses. This research will provide concrete data to show us what we do not know about
discriminatory policies and practices impacting all women and girls in our City in order to discover
solutions and best practices to end gender and all forms of discrimination; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that based on the evidence of the City of Bozeman Gender Analysis, the Task
Force recommend an Action Plan to the City of Bozeman to remedy any evidence of gender inequities as
well as incorporate new thinking to identify both subtle (inherent biases) and more obvious/substantial
areas of gender and other discrimination, to be updated annually and shared with the Bozeman
community; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the City of Bozeman encourages all members of the community and our
institutions to participate in the Gender Analysis to evaluate their own biases, policies and practices to
ensure they are non-discriminatory and fully serve all women and girls in order to advance the human
rights of all residents.
May 1, 2018
Proposed Resolution from the Bozeman Working Group, Bozeman Cities for CEDAW