Hawaii Child Abuse Statistics
Child sexual abuse is a common experience for many children, occurs across all ethnic/racial and socioeconomic groups, and is a public health problem in the United States. Each year, the Hawaii State Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division handles approximately 300 reported cases of child sexual abuse statewide and 200 reported cases on Oahu. Unfortunately, annual reports of child sex abuse are often inaccurate estimates due to underreporting. Research suggests that a more reasonable estimate is that one out of three girls and one out of five males are victims before the age of eighteen.

National research indicates that children who have been sexually abused are at higher risk of emotional and behavioral problems, including depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, suicidal behaviors, difficulty trusting others, running away, promiscuity, and having unprotected sex . If left untreated, victims are at-risk for serious and sometimes life-threatening social problems, including teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, homelessness, low educational achievement, mental health disorders, unemployment, suicide, and criminal activities.