Child & Family Service (CFS) and Maui’s Women Helping Women today are raising awareness of domestic violence by sharing ways to spot domestic abuse, how to help, and resources for both survivors and abusers. Through this education, these community-based organizations together are strengthening the safety net provided by friends and family of domestic abuse survivors, helping people to escape unsafe situations, and encouraging abusers to find the counseling and resources available to stop the violence.      

“Our island communities are facing a rise of domestic violence cases, and it’s more crucial than ever that we come together to provide support and resources,” says Amanda Pump, MS, CSAC, Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer at Child & Family Service. “As we strive to serve Hawai‘i’s local families, the need to address domestic violence is not just a statistic, it’s a call to action.” 

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, on average, nearly 24 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men experience domestic violence annually. If these cases only happened once, an incidence of violence would happen every three seconds. 

“With the recent wildfires, we are already seeing an uptick in domestic violence,” said Sanoe Ka‘aihue, Executive Director for Women Helping Women. “We expect this abuse to increase, as families now have new stressors due to the trauma brought on by the fires. We want those impacted to know there are resources available right away to help them escape an unsafe situation. In addition, we want to raise awareness of signs to look for, and ways the public can help survivors of domestic violence.” 

Meanwhile on Oahu, CFS has observed a significant rise in the number of cases related to domestic violence since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In the period between FY 22 and FY 23, the shelter occupancy at CFS increased by 67%, and the number of calls received by its hotline increased by 47%. This is an alarming reflection of the steady increase in domestic violence. Despite the increasing demand for shelter and services, the funding to operate the shelters has remained the same for years. This creates challenges for CFS and other local nonprofits as they strives to help more people every year.

Robert Boyack, MSW, Director of O’ahu Programs at Child & Family Service, who holds a master’s degree in social work, offers tips for family members and friends to help spot some indicators of abuse. For example, if someone has an unexplained injury, and they make an excuse for the injury but it seems suspect, or not logical, it may be abuse. Other red flags includes:

• Changes in life patterns – a person is becoming more reclusive, or routinely starts breaking plans to see you; skipping work; not attending family functions  
• Unseasonable clothing – wearing long sleeves in Hawaii to cover their arms, especially if this is not how the person normally dresses

“If you are concerned, and see any of these signs, or if your gut is telling you something is wrong, you should ask a question,” Boyack said. “This conversation should be done in a safe and private area. And you should bring up specifics of what you are seeing in terms of the red flags. Note what your concerns are and then just listen. Let the person know they are being heard.