Smart Talk: Status of Women in PA; Domestic violence and women of color

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, July 30, 2015:

Women who work full-time year-round earn 76 cents on the dollar compared to men in a similar position.  If current trends continue, women in Pennsylvania will not see equal pay until the year 2072.  Pennsylvania ranks 48th in the country in percentage of women who hold elective office.  On the positive side, almost 29% of Pennsylvania women have bachelor’s degrees — an increase of eight percentage points from 11 years ago — and have made significant gains in holding managerial or professional jobs.

Those are the few of the findings in The Status of Women in Pennsylvania 2015 report released last month.

The research was sponsored in part by the Foundation for Enhancing Communities here in Pennsylvania.

Joining us on Thursday’s Smart Talk to discuss the report are Dr. Carolyn Dumaresq with the Foundation’s Women’s Fund and Tara Simmons, Vice President of the Women and Girls Foundation in Pittsburgh.

Also, when it comes to domestic violence, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian women face challenges such as poverty, poor education, and language barriers in finding help.

Tonya Lovelace-Davis, CEO of the Women of Color Network appears on Thursday’s program to discuss these unique issues.