‘I felt so dark, hopeless … I did not know where I could go, to turn to.”
“I was angry, scared, worried …”
“I just want my family back together again.”
We hear these heartbreaking words almost every day at Child & Family Service, and that’s why we are here to provide both hope and healing to Hawaii people statewide. During the month of April, which is both Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Awareness Month, Child & Family Service is working to shine a light on these issues that hurt our families thereby weakening our communities, as well as the resources available not just through us, but other community-based organizations who are fighting tirelessly each day to help survivors of sexual assault and child abuse.
Sexual assault is a traumatic experience that can leave the survivor feeling powerless and devast- ated, and have lasting, long-term impacts on the overall mental and physical well-being of the person assaulted. At Child & Family Service, we’ve seen a 5%-30% rise in child abuse cases across our state, including sexual abuse cases over the past five years, with the prevalence of cases on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.
If you or someone you know has been assaulted, there are resources available for you right now. For a comprehensive list of hotlines and initiatives designed to help sexual assault survivors, please go to Childandfamilyservice.org. (See additional helplines in glance box.)
Just as distressing as sexual assault, I regularly see media stories outlining horrific treatment of island children, such as 10-year-old Geanna Bradley in Wahiawa who died of physical injuries and starvation this past January. As a community, we must protect our keiki; they are our future. Our organization and community partners offer a myriad of program to help prevent child abuse and neglect.
The Parent Line is a free statewide confidential telephone line operated Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed holidays).
As Hawaii’s premier resource on child behavior, child development, parenting, caregiver support and community resources, our experienced staff will help you problem-solve parenting challenges and child and adolescent behavior. On Oahu, call 808-526-1222; on neighbor islands, 1-800-816-1222.
This year at Child & Family Service, we celebrate, bittersweetly, our birthday, having the opportunity to serve Hawaii communities statewide for 125 years — but acknowledging that child abuse and neglect, sexual assault, along with poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health have chronically existed for this long.
Each year the demand to serve our communities seems higher, last year being the highest at 110,000 people seeking help just from our organization alone. Since the pandemic, our agency has experienced 20%-60% increased demand across our state for our 51 trauma-informed programs.
But we remain steadfast and committed to Hawaii. We are here no matter what for our communities.
Our mission is to strengthen families and to improve the well- being of children — so at any time, if you need support, call us at 808-681-3500 or visit Childandfamilyservice.org. We are happy to serve with gratitude and aloha each day.
UNSAFE SITUATION? SEEK HELP
Various organizations jointly provide a range of sexual assault hotlines, for information and help to escape unsafe situations:
>> Oahu: 808-681-1546, operated by Child & Family Service (CFS); 808-524-7273, operated by Sex Abuse Treatment Center
>> Hawaii island: 808-935-0677, operated by YWCA; 808-935-2188 on east side, 808-323-2664 on west side, both operated by CFS
>> Maui and Lanai: 808-873-8624, operated by CFS
>> Molokai: 808-495-3340, operated by CFS
>> Kauai: 808-245-4144, operated by YWCA
Amanda Pump, M.S., is president/CEO of Child & Family Service.
