Concluding that Iowa women are suffering more and in greater numbers than before, this report contains testimony from the 1983 public hearings initiated by the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. Each section contains background information and testimony from women who have had firsthand experience of poverty--such as female heads-of-household, and rural women--and from those who, because of their job or service, have had direct contact with poor women and their children--such as advocates for the elderly, school administrators, representatives of human resource agencies, and women's organizations. Following profiles from some Iowa women who testified at the hearings, areas of need are detailed covering child care, welfare reform, employment and training, health, housing, family planning, and legal services. Special populations are then addressed including elderly women, minority women, abused women, rural women, disabled women, and female offenders. Conclusions emphasize testimony directed at the need for changes in our educational and socialization processes. Appendices provide statistical summaries with tabular information, general testimony, and the 1984 Legislative Program of the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. (PM)