There have been 425 domestic disputes reported to the Hawaii Police Department so far this year.
There have been 425 domestic disputes reported to the Hawaii Police Department so far this year.
According to information obtained from the police department, the number of domestic disputes in Kona totals 105, with 34 domestic violence disputes reported in South Kona. Hilo has seen the same number of disputes as Kona so far this year with a total of 105 reported during January to April. Puna has experienced the most domestic disputes of 119.
Martha-Ann Aukai, an employee of Child and Family Services in Hilo that serves domestic violence victims, said there are two main reasons domestic violence occurs in a relationship.
“There are two main reasons people end up on this path. It’s either a learned behavior, they grew up with it and that’s what they know. They’ve seen it in their family and parents. Or the person has a need for power and control,” she explained.
When the abuse begins, it could be physical or a verbal break down of the spirit, “and the emotional stuff takes a lot longer to get over than the physical stuff,” she said.
While arguing is normal, it’s not normal if your partner is constantly calling you names and you’re afraid of them, she said.
“It’s not always bad words either. It’s that ‘you’re a worthless mother because of this or this, or you’re a worthless father because of this, this and this,’” she explained saying many abusers are good manipulators.
“They start nitpicking everything you do to the point where you doubt yourself,” she said.
And once the abuse is recognized, it is often difficult for the victim to find a way out of the situation.
“There are a lot of different reasons, fear of financial implications, fear for the children. They may be thinking ‘this is who my kids’ Dad is, I have to stay with him and make it work.’ There could be a fear of leaving. ‘If I leave, he or she may hunt me down and kill me,’” she explained.
A domestic dispute this year resulted in the death of a 55-year-old Kona man after suffering third-degree burns following an argument with his wife at Kahaluu Beach Park. The Feb. 15 incident is still under investigation and nobody has been arrested in the case, said Hawaii Police Department Area II Criminal Investigations Section Lt. Gerald Wike on Tuesday.
And the problem of domestic violence is not just on the Big Island, but statewide, as well, said Marci Lopes, executive director for Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
“It’s a huge issue, and we don’t do a good enough job at collecting statistics or data,” she said, saying domestic violence agencies often have to report to several different organizations for funds, and that there’s not one agency that pulls all the data together.
She also said some of the statistics could be skewed because women and men in abusive relationships may be deterred from reporting the cases out of fear of repercussions.
In Hawaii, for instance, when a temporary restraining order is issued in a domestic dispute the case is automatically sent to child welfare services, she said, which may cause some victims to shy away from reporting the issue.
There was a Senate bill in the Legislature this session that attempted to remove certain reporting responsibilities of the family courts and the Department of Human Services in cases where TROs are sought for domestic abuse cases. SB 390 was deferred, however, during a Senate committee on Human Services and Housing in February.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, domestic violence has long-term effects, as well. Women abused by their partners are more vulnerable to contracting HIV or other sexually transmitted infections because of forced intercourse or prolonged exposure to stress. The website also states studies that there’s a relationship between depression and suicidal behavior and abusive relationships.
Physical, mental and sexual and reproductive health effects have also been linked with such incidences, including adolescent pregnancy, unintended pregnancy in general, miscarriage, stillbirth, intrauterine hemorrhages, nutritional deficiency, abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders, chronic pain, disability, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Victims of domestic violence are also at higher risk for developing addictions to alcohol, tobacco or drugs, according to the website.
But there is hope, said Aukai who was a victim of domestic violence before getting involved with the center. She recommends anyone looking for support to stop by either the East or West Hawaii Child and Family Service locations where a wide range of assistance is offered, including counseling, case management, community referrals, financial planning and referrals for legal assistance.
The Hawaii Police Department also offers a list of services on its website at hawaiipolice.com/services/domestic-violence-services.
2015 from January to April:
Hilo: 105
Puna: 119
North Hilo: 2
Hamakua: 12
Kona: 105
South Kona: 34
Ka’u: 31
North Kohala: 17
*Information from the Hawaii County Police Department