VIDEO: Senate Unanimously Passes Hirono Legislation to Support Native Hawaiian Survivors of Gender-Based Violence

November 18, 2022

VIDEO: Senate Unanimously Passes Hirono Legislation to Support Native Hawaiian Survivors of Gender-Based Violence

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Senate unanimously passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) to allow Native Hawaiian survivors of gender-based violence to access critical programs and resources provided by Congress through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The reauthorization of VAWA-which was signed into law in March, 2022-provides funding to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex-trafficking, dating violence and stalking. Senator Hirono's legislation amends the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to ensure Native Hawaiian organizations can actually serve the Native Hawaiian community.

Native women across the country-including American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women-experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence. Therefore, VAWA includes Services, Training, Officers Prosecutors (STOP) grants to provide funding for eligible Native-serving non-profits, including Native Hawaiian organizations, to help combat sexual violence and support survivors. However, because of how the law was written, while Native Hawaiian organizations are able to apply for STOP grant funding, they cannot use the funds to actually serve the Native Hawaiian community. As a result, Native Hawaiian women have been unable to access critical resources included in VAWA.

"For decades, Congress has provided funding to organizations that support survivors of gender-based violence through the Violence Against Women Act. This funding is critical to support all women, including Native women who experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence. However, Native Hawaiian women have been excluded from accessing these much-needed resources," said Senator Hirono. "Today, I'm proud that the Senate unanimously passed my legislation to amend VAWA to ensure that Native Hawaiian organizations can actually serve the Native Hawaiian community. This bill will allow Native Hawaiian survivors to get the support they deserve, and will enable Native Hawaiian organizations to do even more in the fight to end sexual violence."

According to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, more than two-thirds of sex trafficking victims in Hawaii are Native Hawaiian women and girls, and 37% of reported child sex trafficking cases in Hawaii are Native Hawaiian.

Senator Hirono has been a vocal advocate for the Native Hawaiian community and efforts to combat violence against Native Hawaiians. In August, she pressed FBI Director Christopher Wray to do more to protect the Native Hawaiian community from sexual exploitation at a full Judiciary Committee hearing and emphasized the need for the FBI to include the Native Hawaiian community in its efforts to address the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis and violence against Native communities. In May, she joined a resolution designating May 5^th as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Shortly before Senate passage, Senator Hirono spoke on the Senate floor in support of her legislation. The full text of her remarks is below and video is available here.

Senator Rounds, I do not object to the substance of your bill. As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, I am very much aware of the contributions made to our country by Native Americans, and certainly the Native American veterans.

However, for a long time, I have been trying to get a very simple technical fix to the Violence Against Women Act that would allow Native Hawaiian organizations to serve Native Hawaiian women.

As we all know, VAWA provides support to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, dating violence and stalking.

Tragically, Native women across the country-that would be Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, American Indian women-experience disproportionately higher levels of sexual violence. Which is why VAWA includes STOP grants to provide funding for eligible Native organizations-non-profits-including Native Hawaiian organizations to serve Native women.

However, in spite of the fact that Native Hawaiian women are represented among the disproportionately high number of survivors of gender-based violence and sex-trafficking, and despite the fact that Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible for these grants, because of a drafting oversight, these Native Hawaiian organizations eligible for these grants cannot serve the Native Hawaiian community.

It would likely shock many of my colleagues to learn about the gender-based violence and sex-trafficking numbers in Hawaii. And of sex trafficking survivors in Hawaii-over 70 percent are Native Hawaiian women and girls. But yet, Native Hawaiian organizations cannot actually serve Native Hawaiian women through these grants.

By passing this simple technical fix, we can ensure that Native Hawaiian women can access the benefits and support included in this critical Violence Against Women Act.

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