You are not alone. That’s the message to sex assault survivors from The Sex Abuse Treatment Center (SATC), Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawaii Department of the Attorney General and other groups. Those groups were among the dozens of supporters who waved signs and stood in solidarity with survivors at the State Capitol this morning to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Gov. Josh Green, MD, recently signed a proclamation announcing April 2026 as SAAM in Hawaii.
“The support from our partners in government, law enforcement and education is amazing,” said Lynn Costales Matsuoka, SATC executive director. “We work together year-round to raise awareness about sexual violence and prevent it from happening in our communities.”
The annual sign-waving event was organized by SATC, a program of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. SATC has provided confidential, 24/7 services to the community for nearly 50 years. Most sex assaults are physical, but according to SATC, there is a growing number of online crimes involving intimate images. This includes sexting and sextortion – a form of online blackmail, commonly carried out on social media. Predators are also reaching younger children through popular gaming apps, pressuring keiki to send money, images or harm themselves.
“We’re seeing an alarming increase in image-based sex assaults,” Costales Matsuoka said. “What often starts as innocent and friendly texts or messages, can quickly turn into something threatening. If you’re in a situation like this or know someone who is, we want you to know that you’re not alone and help is available.”
SATC statistics from July 2024 to June 2025:
- 855 sex assault survivors helped.
- Nearly 20% were between the ages of 15 and 19 years old.
- 84% were female; nearly 14% were male.
- 2 years old: The age of the youngest sex assault survivor.
- 553 of those survivors received SATC services for the first time.
- More than 6,500 students, teachers and staff at public and private schools on Oahu were educated about everything from body safety to signs of sex assault.
SATC’s 24-hour confidential hotline is available for anyone who may be experiencing physical or online sexual abuse. Call 808-524-7273 or head to SATCHawaii.org.
The Sex Abuse Treatment Center helps serve statewide needs in partnership with other organizations across the neighbor islands. SATC relies on community support through the Kapiolani Health Foundation to fund its services. To learn more, visit SATCHawaii.org/Donate.