HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0978.002 2018-2020 FOX
1:01114,q18
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY O e=,
RECEIVED
From: R&S Henderson Time 1I:104PA
Sent. Monday,June 15, 2020 11:10 AM
5 2020
To: Council Testimony nit 1
Subject: Missing Children Testimony (Questions) for County Council meeting with HPD June
16, 2020
Aloha honorable County Council Members and Hawaii Police Department,
Mahalo for meeting to address this problem. And special mahalo to Council Member Matt Kaneali`i-
Kleiafelder for initiating this meeting.
In a 2016 Department of Health and.Human Services study, 34.4%of surveyed males between the ages of 14
and 21 experiencing homelessness reported exchanging sex for something ofvalue, including a place to stay,
money, food,protection and drugs. . in some cases, studies have mentioned that the number of males and
females is likely similar (Development Service Group, Inc, 20142& Walker, 20133 ), (Statistics for females are
similar)
While it appears that most runaway children are found, I have also heard that 35%of runaway children are
typically solicited for sex in exchange for necessities such as shelter, food, clothing, or money within the first
48 to 72 hours after leaving home, and 16% are ensnared into human trafficking. 4
I know of specific instances of human trafficking on this island and have heard through the coconut wireless
that there is an increase in traffickers targeting local children on our island.
1. What specific action has the county taken to strengthen families in the past year to decrease or prevent
runaways and to decrease or prevent runaway and.homeless youth from being trafficked?
2. What specific action has the county taken to provide support for victims of domestic violence and.for
runaway children in the past year?
3. What changes has the HPD made to policies to improve investigations on our island in the past year to
a. find runaways and
b. combat trafficking?
4. How much HPD time and money has been allocated to "vice" including runaways and human trafficking in
the fiscal year 2019-20209 flow much time and money are budgeted in this area for fiscal year 2020-2O2 1
I urge you to take strong action to protect our keiki.
Mahalo,
Sheryl Henderson
Kadua Kona
Comm No
1
Ref. T :
Ref. Date JUN 16 2020