HI HR85

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and Department of the Attorney General are requested to establish a working group to review statutes and policies nationwide for strengthening protections for survivors of image-based sexual abuse.

The working group would include gender-based violence service providers and survivors to evaluate policy enhancements from other states that could be incorporated into Hawaii law.

Image-based sexual abuse is currently a class C felony under Hawaii law as a violation of privacy in the first degree, but the resolution notes emerging technologies like AI and deepfakes are making such abuse easier to perpetrate.

A 2019 report found 95% of online deepfake videos are nonconsensual sexual deepfakes, with 90% targeting women, while a 2017 study found 12.8% of respondents were survivors of image-based sexual abuse.

The working group must submit findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session.