Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 8, 1 August 2021 — Sex Trafficking of Kamali'i in Hawai'i [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Sex Trafficking of Kamali'i in Hawai'i

V E 'ONIPA'A KAKOU ^ BE STEADFAST '

By Pālama Lee Child sex trafhcking is a very real problem in Hawai'i. Hawai'i law defines child sex trafficking as the commercial sexual exploitation of anyone under 18 years old for the exchange or promise of anything of value including cash, shelter, and food. Sex-trafficked kamali'i are victims of a terrible, highly traumatizing injustice - and they are largely invisible. Little is known about the depth and complexity of sex trafficking, particularly when kamali'i are involved. Contributing to this invisibility are shame, stigma, and silence; a tendency to hlame the kamali' i ("oh, if she would just stop running away"); laek of awareness; and reluctance to believe it really happens. Most recruiters (those who seek out and lure kamali'i to be exploited) are known by the kamali' i - often family members, friends, or boyfriends. Aecording to a nationwide study, only 10% of recruiters are strangers. Recruiters tend to prey on vulnerable kamali'i - such as those experiencing poverty, living on the street, running away, living with a disability, or residing in foster care. Yet, any kamali' i may be at risk for commercial sexual exploitation. A 2020 report based on a survey of individuals receiving services from Child and Family Service Hawai'i found that: • 64% of sex trafficked victims were of Native Hawaiian descent. • 83% were female. • 23% were first sex trafficked when they were under the age of 18, and among those sex trafficked as minors, the average age

at whieh they were first trafficked is 11 years old. • 26% were trafficked by a family member, 25% by a friend, and 25% by a boyfriend. Combatting sex trafficking of kamali'i in Hawai'i requires collaboration. Lili'uokalani Trust is working with " community partners to support cultur- . ally responsive interventions and sys-tems-change efforts to protect our kamali'i. To stop sex trafficking it is necessary to raise puhlie awareness, generate better data, and establish a statewide eoordinated system to provide trauma-in-formed identification and treatment of victims and prevention of future victimization. ■ Lf you are a victim of, or suspect any, sex trafficking activity, eall 911 immediately. To report child trafficking, eall the Child Welfare Services' child trafficking hotline. On O'ahu, that number is (808) 832-1999 or 1-888-398-1188 for the neighbor islands. lf you're worried someone is at risk and aren't sure how to appwaeh the situation, contact your county poliee department - anonymously or in person - or eall the National Human Trafficking Hoūine at (888) 3737 888.

Pālama Lee is blessed to have recently eelebrated his ioth year at Lili'uokalani Trust (LT). He is a elinieal social worker and an evaluator and researcher who offers a eulturally responsive lens to illuminate the wellbeing ofour lāhui. He received his MSW and PhD at UH Mānoa. He is the Director ofResearch, Evaluation, and Strategy at LT.

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