Hawaii

A program of Child and Family Service, Sexual Assault Supportive Services offers crisis intervention, counseling, and education for survivors of sexual assault.

Service area: Maui County
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and abuse and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the hotline; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; information and support by mail, including how to obtain services upon discharge; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline; hospital accompaniment and emotional support during forensic exams; legal advocacy; and counseling for children and adults who have been recently sexually assaulted or abused and individuals who were sexually assaulted in the past, including adults who were abused as children.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline; individual counseling for survivors’ family members and significant others; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free

The Hawai`i Island HIV/AIDS Foundation (HIHAF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting those affected by HIV/AIDS to maximize their quality of life and to ending the spread of HIV. HIHAF provides island-wide coordination of services to all persons affected by HIV/AIDS.

Service area: Hawaii
Work with: All people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS and those in need of testing
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Information about HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C via phone, email, and mail; case management for HIV+ prisoners via phone and by email, including medical care coordination and discharge-planning for medical and mental health care; and prevention education services for people in many detention settings, including the Alternatives to Violence Program. For assistance and more information on services available to you during your incarceration, contact HIHAF by phone, mail or email.
Services for survivors after release include: Anonymous HIV testing and counseling; Hepatitis C screenings; and a range of services for people living with HIV/AIDS, including case management and referrals to appropriate community resources such as, but not limited to medical and dental care, clinical trials, home health services, housing, financial and medical benefits agencies, government assistance programs, medication assistance, treatment advocacy, food bank, transportation for essential services, counseling, harm reduction, and return to work assistance; Teen AIDS Prevention Program; and an STD and HIV+ Speakers’ Bureau, which includes trained educators on HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis prevention and Big Island community members who have agreed to share their personal stories of contracting and living with HIV and AIDS.
Services for loved ones include: Anonymous HIV testing and counseling; Hepatitis C screenings; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free
Additional information: Services are available in English and Spanish. Se habla español. Translators are available for other languages.

The Sex Abuse Treatment Center (SATC) of the Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children (KMCWC) is a statewide program valued for its leadership and expertise in providing treatment services for survivors of sexual assault, preventing sexual violence, and effecting change through public policy, awareness, and education. SATC’s mission is to support the emotional healing process of those sexually assaulted in Hawai‘i, to increase community awareness about their needs, and to reduce the incidence of all forms of sexual assault.

Service area: Hawaii
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and abuse and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline; information and referral via the hotline and by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal systems advocacy and court accompaniment, pending staff availability.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; case management services to coordinate ongoing care; and individual, family, and couples therapy.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; in-person crisis counseling; family and couples therapy; information; and referrals.
Fees: A sliding fee scale is used for payment, and insurance is accepted. No one is turned away for lack of ability to pay.
Additional Information: SATC will provide crisis support, information, and referrals to any survivor who contacts them. For survivors convicted of sex crimes, SATC will provide appropriate referrals for ongoing support services.

Since the 1970’s, the YWCA has provided response programs for survivors of sexual assault, including a broad array of services and referrals.

Service area: Hawaii Island
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal advocacy and court accompaniment; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; individual counseling; and support groups.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; counseling; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free

The YWCA of Kauai Sexual Assault Treatment Program provides 24-hour crisis intervention, counseling, medical, legal, and judiciary advocacy for survivors of sexual assault and their partners and families on the island of Kauai.

Service area: The island of Kauai
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by email; accompaniment during forensic exams; court accompaniment and legal advocacy for sexual assault cases; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; individual, couples, and group counseling; and case management services.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: Free
Additional information: YWCA of Kauai also offers group counseling for people convicted of sex crimes, both probationers and parolees, for the island of Kauai.

The Ombudsman is an officer of the legislature who investigates complaints about actions of executive branch agencies of the state and county governments. By law, the Ombudsman is authorized to investigate the administrative actions of state and county agencies. It cannot investigate complaints about the governor and lieutenant governor and their staffs; the legislature and its staff; the judiciary and its staff; the various county mayors and councils; the federal government; a multistate governmental entity; or a nongovernmental entity. The Ombudsman’s office has the power to obtain necessary information for an investigation and to recommend corrective action if a complaint is found to be substantiated.

The Ombudsman serves as a neutral, independent intermediary between the citizen and the agency. This office conducts investigations in a fair and impartial manner. The Office of the Ombudsman does not provide legal advice, nor does it serve as legal counsel, advocate, or representative on behalf of any person or agency. The Office of the Ombudsman is authorized by law to receive inquiries on a confidential basis. If it can, it will investigate your complaint without revealing your identity, although this is not always possible. If you have concerns about confidentiality, please feel free to discuss them with the Ombudsman. Most complaints can be made by telephone with no forms to fill out. Inmates who have been sexually assaulted in a state or county-run Hawaiian detention facility can contact the Office of the Ombudsman to report the assault and any concerns regarding the handling of investigations into such abuse.

The mission of the ACLU of Hawaii is to protect individual freedoms guaranteed under the federal and state constitutions. In Hawai’i since 1965, the ACLU works through legal action, legislative lobbying, and public education. The ACLU is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization supported primarily by private donations.

Much of the ACLU’s work protecting the civil liberties of the people of Hawai’i takes place in the courts. The ACLU provides direct representation to people, acting as their attorney in court challenges. The ACLU also files amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs, arguing legal principles to the court without directly representing the parties in a matter.

In an action of major impact, the ACLU of Hawai’i filed a lawsuit over prison conditions and practices at the O’ahu Community Correctional Center and the Women’s Community Correctional Center. This resulted in a settlement agreement with the state to substantially improve conditions and practices in the state prisons, providing for more humane treatment and better rehabilitation of its inmates. The ACLU continues to be active in this area.

The ACLU of Hawaii does NOT review requests for legal assistance in person or over the telephone. To ask the ACLU of Hawaii for legal assistance, you must write a letter to the Intake Department at the address above.

The Lawyer Referral and Information Service is a public service provided by the Hawaii State Bar Association, a non-profit organization. The referral service is the only bar-sponsored attorney referral in the State of Hawaii. Member attorneys are able to assist clients with all types of legal problems. The referrals are free, and clients contact attorneys directly to find out whether they are able to assist and at what cost. Volunteer attorneys are also available to provide legal information and referrals Wednesday evenings from 6-7pm via the Legal Line at 808-537-1868. A database of attorneys can also be accessed on the Lawyer Referral and Information Service website.