Unrelenting Pressures Women in Silicon Valley face pressure to meet work, family and community responsibilities simultaneously. Employed women are as likely to volunteer as those who are not employed. Almost half of women provide all or the majority of their household income. One-fifth, however, report that paying for basic needs is always difficult. Women working in the private sector were less likely to have on-site or nearby childcare than those working in the public sector.
Women working in technology face unique challenges.
A key reason women become self-employed is to create the flexibility they don't find in traditional career relationships. Women say they value flexibility and control over work schedules, place, and pace more than workplace perks. Low-wage jobs are growing in Silicon Valley, and are held disproportionately by women. This project conducted a phone survey of a random sample of 826 women ages 21-61 who live in the Silicon Valley region, defined as Santa Clara County, plus portions of Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties. The survey was conducted in November of 2000 by Field Research and was offered in English and Spanish.