Jessica Munoz, a nurse practitioner, established Ho‘ola na Pua about 13 years ago when she was working in a Hawaii emergency room and started seeing signs of physical and psychological abuse in sexually exploited children.
On Tuesday, Mayor Rick Blangiardi presented a proclamation to the nonprofit, recognizing Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
“Sex trafficking, labor trafficking, domestic servitude — all of those things exist right here in our islands,” Munoz said at the event staged at Honolulu Hale. “What people have to really understand is these are not just international victims. These are local, Hawaii-born individuals this is happening to.”
Munoz, along with Blangiardi, Lt. Gov. Josh Green and others, also took part in a “Red Sand” project, through which they used a stretch of sidewalk to create an educational message, in observance of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Blangiardi said, “It is personal … for all of us. I’m a father of three. Like anybody else, you are always on the lookout. But I never really thought about somebody taking them.” He added, “Just yesterday my three granddaughters were here to visit for the first time. I watch these young girls in the innocence of their youth, I’m reminded of how vulnerable people are, how fragile they really are.”
A January 2020 study by Arizona State University’s Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research found that more than 45% of sex trafficking victims in Hawaii lived on Oahu.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that as a major visitor destination, Hawaii is a natural trafficking hub. But prosecuting trafficking cases is challenging, in part, because victims are often manipulated into believing their servitude is voluntary or part of a loving relationship.
“These cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute, in part, because perpetrators traumatize their victims to the point that they are often unaware that they are being exploited,” said Alm.
In an effort to address the problem, Alm’s office is taking a lead role in the Honolulu County Human Trafficking Task Force, which works with police, federal agents and other law enforcement to team up with community organizations like Ho‘ola na Pua and the Susannah Wesley Community Center to investigate and prosecute cases while victims are assisted.
“Together, we will hold human traffickers accountable for their actions. The victims of this horrendous crime, primarily young women, deserve no less,” said Alm.
Support from federal law enforcement agencies is key as many victims, from Hawaii, the mainland or overseas, are taken in and out of state while being exploited, officials said.
John Tobon, special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations Honolulu, told the Star-Advertiser, “In Hawaii we see significant trafficking activity from residents and visitors. As the federal sponsor of the Honolulu County Human Trafficking Task Force, HSI targets the criminals and the money they make from these heinous crimes.”
The FBI’s Honolulu Division, like nearly every field office, operates a Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force that works closely with local partners.
“There is no reliable data to determine prevalence of human trafficking in any city or geographic region,” said Steven Merrill, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Honolulu field office, told the Star-Advertiser. “Unfortunately, human trafficking is not restricted to one area of the U.S., as all 56 of the FBI’s field offices have reported human trafficking incidents.”
On Nov. 18, 50 year-old Kapolei resident Felina Salinas was arrested by federal agents and accused of helping a Philippine-based church with operations in Waipahu to secure passports and funnel money to leadership as part of an elaborate sex and labor trafficking scheme.
Munoz pointed out, “It’s just like with Jeffery Epstein, anyone can be a buyer of this, from powerful people to your average citizen. That’s the problem. As long as people tolerate and continue to contribute to the demand in the market, it’s never going to go away.”
GETTING HELP
People who are or believe they may be victims of human trafficking are urged to call or text the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 888-373-7888.
>> SMS: 233733 (Text “HELP” or “INFO”)
>> Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week
>> Languages: English, Spanish and 200 more
>> Website: humantraffickinghotline.org
>> Those who wish to report incidents of human trafficking or suspected human trafficking may also call the FBI’s Honolulu Division at 808-566-4300 office, county police, or 911 if it is an emergency.
