HI HCR5

Requests the Department of Human Services to convene an early childhood sexual abuse working group to identify means of addressing early childhood sexual abuse and create strategies for reducing child sexual abuse in Hawaii.

Working group membership includes the Chair of the Senate Committee on Human Services, Chair of the House Committee on Human Services, Director of Health or designee, Director of Human Services or designee, Superintendent of Education or designee, a representative from the Early Intervention Section of the Department of Health, and a representative from Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii.

Directs the working group to gather information concerning child sexual abuse throughout the State, hold public meetings to receive reports and testimony from stakeholders, and create goals for a state policy to prevent child sexual abuse.

Requires the working group to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017.

Notes that research shows between 17-25 percent of girls and 7-16 percent of boys experience sexual abuse before age eighteen, with documented connections to depression, drug addiction, suicide, and juvenile delinquency.