A task force on domestic violence commissioned by the Honolulu City Council has pinpointed major obstacles to improving the response to abuse cases, including a lack of communication between government agencies, poor data collection and insufficient training at responding agencies.
"We need a more spirited investment in an effective response," said Nanci Kreidman of the Hawaii Domestic Violence Action Center, who is on the task force. "We have weak links throughout the system, and that interferes with an overall strong effort."
The Domestic Violence Response Task Force released its first preliminary report last month. It must submit an annual report by the end of December and at the end of every year after that.
The Honolulu City Council passed a resolution creating the task force in February after the Honolulu Police Department drew criticism for the way officers handled an incident in September.
In that incident, an off-duty sergeant was captured on video pummeling a woman in a Waipahu restaurant. The woman claimed they were horseplaying, and a grand jury declined to pursue charges against him.
Police are still conducting an internal investigation after responding officers failed to open a police report.
In the aftermath of that incident, the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women reported receiving more than 30 complaints from domestic violence victims regarding HPD’s handling of domestic violence cases since 2013.
According to the resolution that created the task force, domestic violence is a widespread community problem affecting thousands of families on Oahu.
Almost 40 percent of murders in Hawaii from 2008 to 2012 involved domestic violence, according to the resolution.
"Strong, safe families are at the core of a healthy community," Kreidman said. "If families are suffering the harm of abuse, it’s going to go with them to work, to school, to church, wherever. It spills out into daily life."
Kreidman said other effects of domestic violence in communities range from increased substance abuse to costs tied to court cases and incarceration.
More than a dozen advocates and officials representing HPD, the Honolulu prosecutor’s office and various state agencies took part in drafting the task force report.
HPD Maj. Larry Lawson, who heads the Criminal Investigation Division, said in an email that the task force fosters a better understanding between the Police Department and its community partners.
"Our goals are the same," Lawson said. "We just approach them differently."
The report says that among the most daunting challenges in dealing with domestic violence is that victims don’t always follow through with prosecution. It adds that reasons for hesitation include fear of retaliation, loss of income, social pressures and reconciliation with the abuser.
Lawson said the task force’s efforts will help HPD improve its cooperation with advocates.
"We both want the same thing, which is to help the victim and stop the violence," he said.
Kreidman said that while better police response is needed, the task force has so far focused on a broader vision aimed at determining how agencies and sectors — such as the criminal justice system, social service system and educational system — can work together "like a well-oiled machine."
She said more entry points for victims to get help are needed because not all victims go to the police or courts. Other avenues include schools, doctors and pastors.
"We don’t have sufficient investment in prevention," Kreidman said, adding that information about domestic violence and prevention tactics could be folded into school curricula.
She added, "There’s many ways to mobilize our community to understand domestic violence and have everybody work towards helping to prevent it."
The report identifies other top obstacles to effectively addressing domestic violence, including inconsistent enforcement and a lack of a danger assessment program when following up on a case. In addition, the task force recommends stepping up efforts to bring a victim’s advocate to the scene of domestic violence incidents to help with intervention and increase the chances that a victim participates in prosecution.
