Human trafficking is happening in Hawaii.
While sexual exploitation might not be an idea associated with the image of our state as a tropical paradise, the reality is that our islands are impacted by modern-day slavery.
According to a study conducted by Arizona State University in 2018, 1 in 7 men walking on the streets of Hawaii at any given time is a potential sex buyer. Additionally, victim service providers estimate that there are about 150 high-risk sex-trafficking establishments in our state, with most of them located on Oahu.
As a high school junior, I first came into contact with “human trafficking” while watching a documentary about modern-day slavery. Initially, the term felt distant from my identity as a student. As I listened to the stories of survivors, however, I began to recognize the unsettling familiarity of trafficking’s core components: manipulation, coercion and gender-based violence. This pushed me to reflect on how vulnerable young girls like myself are to being exploited, even by those we believe to be our closest companions.
Survivors come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Some come from impoverished communities, while others are from affluent neighborhoods. Regardless of their socioeconomic status, victims typically share one commonality: they were exposed to the commercial sex trade at an age below adulthood, an age where they should be high school students just like me.
When it comes to anti-trafficking laws, our state falls far behind. A 2024 report from Shared Hope International, one of the largest anti-human trafficking organizations in the nation, gave Hawaii anti-trafficking response a failing grade.
The report evaluated public policies and found that our state is failing to provide survivors with a robust and well-funded continuum of care. It also found that prevention training programs for educators, medical personnel, and law enforcement were less rigorous than those in other states in teaching professionals to properly identify and respond sensitively to victims of exploitation.
To address the loopholes in our state’s anti-trafficking laws, lawmakers should pass three key bills. To begin, legislators should enact a proposal requiring the state Department of Education to train teachers and school staff on how to effectively recognize potential cases of trafficking on campus, such as Senate Bill 453 introduced by Sen. Karl Rhoads. Educators interact with students almost every day. After a child’s parents or legal guardian, they are the individuals most likely to see the signs of exploitation if they know what to look for.
Additionally, elected officials should pass a proposal to immunize sex trafficking survivors from being prosecuted for prostitution offenses. According to the national nonprofit Polaris Project, victims of trafficking often believe that if they report their abuse to the police, they will be detained for prostitution. House Bill 689, sponsored by Rep. Jeanne Kapela, and Senate Bill 292, introduced by Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, would grant legal immunity to victims that would allow them to seek justice without fear.
Finally, legislators would be wise to pass House Bill 111, sponsored by Vice Speaker Linda Ichiyama, to empower survivors to pursue civil action against businesses that willfully ignore exploitation that happens on their premises. Throughout the U.S., hotels have been sued for ignoring trafficking that is performed by high-paying guests. This bill empowers victims to hold businesses, like hotels, accountable, so survivors can receive the restitution they need to reclaim their lives and livelihoods.
As a high school student, I’ve seen how these policy gaps leave students vulnerable to harm. For the sake of our state’s youth, I urge lawmakers to take action this year to keep our community safe from sexual servitude.
Amy Zhao is the youth justice advocate for Imua Alliance and a junior at ‘Iolani High School.
