Out of all women in Hawaii, Native Hawaiian women face the highest percentage rates of domestic violence and sex trafficking. In order to address this violence, the Pouhana O Nā Wāhine was founded.

The Pouhana O Nā Wāhine (PONW) is a Native Hawaiian 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves as the statutorily created Native Hawaiian Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NHRCDV) under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). The PONW is committed to reducing disparities across the five counties of Hawai’i and the seven populated islands. PONW’s vision is dedicated to restoring the Native Hawaiian way of life rooted in Native Hawaiian beliefs, practices and ceremonies as our Indigenous relatives have done stateside. PONW’s mission is to provide technical assistance and training, partner at the community, state and national levels, and develop policies and resources to prevent, intervene and eliminate domestic violence and help survivors and their families increase their safety.

This webinar will introduce the PONW and their work to implement the NHRCDV over the next five years . In addition, they will share the history of Native Hawaiians, and their unique relationship with the federal government which is rooted in colonization and violence reflected in U.S.’ policies and practices. In 1993, the United States issued an apology to Native Hawaiians and recognized how colonization had impacted economic and social changes across the islands and in 2016 the Department of Interior released “Procedures for Reestablishing a Formal Government to Government Relationship with the Native Hawaiian Community” which affirmed the foundation of trust responsibilities for the federal government to the Native Hawaiian population.

The formation of PONW as a resource center to address violence against Native Hawaiian women is fundamental to protecting Native Hawaiian women.