Governor signs Human Trafficking Awareness Month proclamation

January 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month. Gov. Josh Green, M.D. was joined today by Attorney General Anne Lopez and several representatives from state and county law enforcement departments and crime prevention agencies, for a proclamation signing ceremony.

Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month shines a light on a hidden crime that affects communities everywhere. Every year in Hawaiʻi, people across the state become victims, according to a news release.

“We must recognize a heartbreaking truth: Native Hawaiian keiki are disproportionately affected by human trafficking. This is not just a statistic – it is a call to action, demanding that we confront the systemic issues that allow this to persist. It is devastating to think that in the very place we call home – a place so rooted in aloha and community – our most vulnerable children are at heightened risk of exploitation,” said Green. “Every child deserves to grow up in safety, surrounded by love and opportunity, but human trafficking robs them of that fundamental right.”

“Traffickers exploit their victims through force, fraud and coercion. We have the power to stop it,” said Attorney General Lopez. “By raising awareness to the connection between human trafficking, online harassment and abuse, domestic violence and other forms of abuse, we can develop more effective strategies to combat exploitation.”

The Department of the Attorney General recently announced the publication of its Human Trafficking Prevention Program webpage, which is available at https://ag.hawaii.gov/traffickingprevention/. The website seeks to raise public awareness and provide education and resources designed to prevent human trafficking in Hawai‘i. 

The Department put on a variety of events throughout Human Trafficking Awareness Month. On Jan. 30, at 5 p.m., there will be a Candlelight Vigil at the State Capitol to honor survivors and remember those impacted by human trafficking. This event will feature speakers, including advocates and service providers. The Candlelight Vigil is intended to create a reflective space to reaffirm a shared community commitment to ending human trafficking.  

A detailed calendar of the Human Trafficking Awareness Month events can be found on the Human Trafficking Prevention Program page here: https://ag.hawaii.gov/traffickingprevention/htpp-event-calendar/.

Departments and agencies in attendance for the proclamation signing included the Department of the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division, US Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Law Enforcement, the Honolulu Police Department, the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney, the Kauaʻi Police Department, Kauaʻi Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Hawaiʻi Police Department, the Judiciary’s Family Court of the First Circuit, the Department of Human Services, the Children’s Justice Center, and the Hawaiʻi Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.