By Lisa Dahm
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Human trafficking is an often-overlooked crisis that exists everywhere, even in the islands. At Holy Trinity Church in Kuliouou, a small yet mighty group of six women views it as an essential issue for Hawaii residents to understand and address.
“People tend to think it is not happening here in paradise,” said Marti Lee, a parish Respect Life Committee leader. “But we are an open gateway.”
On Jan. 20, the committee is collaborating with Ho‘ola Na Pua — a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent child sex trafficking and child exploitation through education — to offer an informational session at the church on human trafficking awareness and safety.
“We are especially concerned with awareness — what we should be looking out for and steps we should take if we have concerns and how we can be supportive rather than judgmental for those whose safety and well-being are compromised,” said Debbie Kula, a Holy Trinity parishioner and committee member.
All are welcome to attend the Jan. 20 event. Questions can be emailed to htcjan20@gmail.com.
The human trafficking presentation is part of the formation and activities organized by Holy Trinity’s Respect Life Committee. The group covers a variety of life issues beyond abortion — such as initiatives for homelessness, elder care and children with special needs — by spearheading programs such as food drives and baby showers.
The committee also actively promotes the integral role of grandparents in providing unconditional love, intergenerational interaction and social support.
Clearing misconceptions
Ashley Flick will lead the presentation on behalf of Ho‘ola Na Pua, focusing on signs and opportunities to help victims. She said the goal of her presentation is to teach what trafficking actually looks like and to remove the stigma and blame often placed on victims.
“I think having churches like Holy Trinity give us an opportunity to speak and raise awareness is key, because now people can have these conversations with their kids,” she said.
Flick said there are many misconceptions regarding trafficking. At her presentations, she often asks people to describe their understanding of the issue.
“It’s always like the Liam Neeson movie ‘Taken,’ and people imagine these really dramatic kidnapping, hostage-type situations,” Flick said. “And while that does happen, that is less than 10% of cases.”
According to Flick, 84% of child trafficking cases involve someone the child knows, often family members or friends. Vulnerable people are also exposed to perpetrators posing as friends in chat rooms available to youth from a much younger age.
“We find everyone wants to think it’s not a problem close to home, because that’s a very uncomfortable truth to sit with,” Flick said.
By the numbers
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, human trafficking is a type of modern slavery in which “force, fraud or coercion” is used to get an individual to provide labor or commercial sex.
In 2024, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported receiving 32,309 reports of trafficking, but the actual number is likely much higher due to underreporting.
Flick said that many human trafficking cases go unreported, and males are less likely to report, with victims carrying the secret of their exploitation for years. She estimates that about 3,000 cases occur in Hawaii annually, but obtaining accurate statistics is challenging due to a lack of cohesive reporting among agencies.
Flick said that parents need to have open and honest conversations with their children about online safety, especially with internet chat rooms and gaming content. She said that a 2021 study found that 55% of children are exposed to inappropriate online content.
“The biggest thing right now is just the online safety,” Flick said. “Unmoderated chats are so dangerous, and so many parents let their kids play games, and they don’t supervise the chat features, they don’t use parental controls, and they just trust that everything’s OK. You wouldn’t leave your house unlocked and let strangers come in, but when kids are given devices, and they’re having these unmoderated chat conversations, that’s kind of what’s happening.”
Flick encourages older students to protect their younger siblings and to speak up if they notice dangerous behavior. She emphasizes the importance of friends and peers in influencing the behavior of younger children and in keeping them safe.
Ongoing outreach
Beyond educating the community, Ho‘ola Na Pua also provides care and support for survivors.
In 2021, the organization opened Pearl Haven, a comprehensive 32-bed CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredited facility that provides trauma-informed therapeutic services for sexually exploited girls ages 11-17. It has served 65 youth since 2021.
The state’s first residential treatment center for survivors offers a safe space for survivors to heal and recover from their trauma. Through the mentorship of licensed facilitators, 80% of students at Pearl Haven have received A’s and B’s in their core subjects, according to Ho‘ola Na Pua.
Ho‘ola Na Pua also offers a Starfish Mentoring Program; Hoku Group Services, a support group geared toward youth; and an education program aimed at raising awareness about human trafficking.
In the future, Ho‘ola Na Pua hopes to expand its facilities, particularly for male victims.
Above: A young person from Nairobi, Kenya, joined other activists in Rome’s central Santa Maria in Trastevere Square to raise awareness about human trafficking. The event’s sponsor was Talitha Kum, an international network organized by religious who are fighting human trafficking. (CNS file photo / 2024)