Severe, lasting stress in early childhood changes the brain.
Healthy Brain
Early childhood trauma has been associated with reduced size of the brain cortex. This area is responsible for many complex functions including memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thinking, language, and consciousness.
Impacted Brain
Activity Level Most
Too many young keiki in Hawai`i are exposed to family violence.
Least
www.nctsn.org
Family violence includes
Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Reported CAN rates for children 0-5 in Hawai`i have returned to pre-pandemic levels. 6.1
5.9
AG ES 0- 5
5.5
5.9
5.8
In Hawai`i 34.7% of women and 24.1% of men are affected by physical violence, sexual violence and/or stalking in their lifetimes. Domesticviolence.org
5.0
600
Each year in Hawai`i close to 600 children (0 to 5) are confirmed to be victims of child abuse and neglect.
The actual number of cases may be as much as 5 times greater than the number of reports. The National Incidence Studies (NIS) Myron B. Thompson of Social Work University of Hawai`i Mānoa
2021
2020
2019
2017
Hawai`i Co 16.4% Maui Co 14.9% 2016
P R E VA L E N C E
Family violence is preventable.
IMPACT OF STRESS ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
2018
IMPACT ON KEIKI
Exposure to family violence endangers healthy early childhood development and often leads to negative long-term outcomes in school and life.
BRFSS. HawaiiHealthMatters org, 2021, Adult IPV Physical
KidsCount, Reported cases per 1,000 children (Ages 0-5)
Hawai`i Nationwide
5.9 8.0
The largest group of child abuse and neglect victims were less than a year old (15.5%).
Hawai`i Co Kaua`i Co
10.1 8.0
KidsCount 2021, Reported cases per 1,000 children (Ages 0-17)
Adult IPV rates are highest in Hawai`i and Maui Counties. Among all children ages 0-17, rates of CAN are highest in Hawai`i and Kaua`i Counties.
Early Childhood County Level Community Profiles
AGE OF CAN VICTIMS
42% 31%
Perpetrators in 90.2% of cases were parents.
27%
2021, Hawaii. Department of Human Services.
582
434
375
Ages 0-5
Ages 6-11
Ages 12-17
State of Hawaii, Department of Human Services, Databook 2021
03/2024
www.HawaiiActionStrategy.org
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