We are committed to providing our community with information and advocating to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families and strengthen communities. Over the course of the next few months, we will be asking this year’s political candidates a set of seven questions that address our priorities and mission here at the YWCA. We have invited all candidates running to answer these questions and will be posting the answers to those that we have heard back from here on our blog. The YWCA of Kauai is non partisan and does not endorse any political party or candidates.
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Racial Justice Questions: A majority of girls who have contact with and are detained in the juvenile justice system pose little or no threat to public safety: Nationwide, 37% of detained girls were held for status offenses and technical violations and 21% of girls were detained for simple assault and public order offenses where no weapons were involved.
1. We know that girls in the juvenile justice system in Hawaii have experienced high rates of sexual abuse and trauma and that the criminalization of trauma disproportionately impacts girls. How can our justice system better respond to their social and emotional needs of these girls?
JoAnn Yukimura: The Sisterhood Agenda, a non-profit charitable organization since 1994, says that “some estimated 90% of girls experience at least one major trauma before 18 years” of age. When these girls are drawn into the juvenile justice system, it often does not know how to treat them. For the female juvenile victim of sexual trauma, all services from police contact and court participants to school personnel, social services employees and treatment teams must be trained in trauma related gender specific developmentally informed and culturally sensitive treatment and services. These services should recognize the unique issues related to betrayal, trust, safety and shame. Victim advocacy is always the best approach to take. It ensures that the young girl receives the support and intervention she needs to remedy the effects of crime. The YWCA knows this particularly well. I deeply grateful for the YWCAʻs work, and how you have helped to train other partner agencies. As much as possible, arresting these young women should not be an option, especially when, as you point out, a majority of the girls who have contact with and are detained in the juvenile justice system pose little or not threat to public safety. It not only ignores the original trauma but increases the likelihood of future delinquent behavior. Other options must be developed and used to divert these young women from arrest and incarceration to give them tailored support and mental health and other services that will empower and guide them to a more positive and successful path. This helps both the child and the criminal justice system. It is also important to balance information about trauma with the reality that youth are active agents in their lives and that this event does not have to define them. Entering the juvenile justice system at any time is commonly an unpleasant and defining event for the juvenile. Adding sexual trauma to the emotional mix further traumatizes the victim and family. A multidisciplinary community system of care has all systems working together. Adjusting the behavior of all personnel who come in contact with the victim allows them to support the victim’s coping capacity and successfully manage her trauma symptoms successfully. It allows for a treatment plan developed and tailored to the problems and needs of the victim, the individuals in the family and the whole family. As mayor, I will support all of the above, especially as applied to the Police Department’s role.
Empowerment and Economic Advancement of Women and Girls Questions:
2. Financial abuse is a major barrier to victims of domestic violence leaving abusive relationships. Survivors of DV are often more at risk of falling into poverty, what steps would you take as Mayor to lower the cost of living on Kaua`i which would help DV victims and their families stay out of poverty?
JoAnn Yukimura: Lowering the cost of living has been a major goal during my 28 years in elected office as councilmember (22 years working fulltime) and mayor (6 years). I have initiated and/or supported policies that would lower the two largest household expenses: housing and transportation. Through executive leadership as mayor and legislative foresight and know-how as councilmember, I developed or supported the development of over 1500 affordable housing units over the last 20 years, including but not limited to Kalepa Village, Paʻanau Village, Kolopua, Lihue Court, Eleele Nani, Hokulei Estates. Very likely some of the DV survivors live in the aforementioned housing projects today. The families that live in these units pay no more than 30% of their household income for rent or mortgage and utilities, which makes the largest household expense very affordable. As mayor I will accelerate these efforts to alleviate the housing crisis we are in. Developing affordable housing is not easy, and it takes a tremendous amount of capital (about $200,000 of subsidy per housing unit) and a long lead time. Based on my experience over the last 25 years, I recently proposed earmarking 3% of existing real property taxes to build affordable housing, which will generate $80 million in capital over 20 years. This consistent and stable source of capital, made possible by an increase in real property tax rates on vacation rentals and high priced investor owned property is essential if we are to provide affordable housing. Both of the other councilmembers running for mayor voted against the 3% earmark but have not proposed another viable way to provide a consistent source of essential unrestricted capital. Without bold and thoughtful action, the crisis will only worsen. I started the Kauaʻi Bus when I was mayor and have consistently supported its expansion because per the Countyʻs Land Transportation Plan, the bus represents the best way to reduce traffic on the road. Forty people in a bus versus forty people, one in each of 40 cars, will significantly reduce traffic. More importantly for victims of domestic violence, expansion of the bus as planned will reduce household transportation costs on the average by 6%; if we do not implement our land transportation plan by expanding bus services, average household transportation costs will rise 15%–a 21% difference! While savings vary, they can be substantial. For example, a worker driving between Waimea and Lihue to and from work every day paid $350 per month for gas. Now she commutes by bus using an annual bus pass costing $400 and saves $3792 per year–not an insignificant amount! If gas prices go up, as they will at some point, sheʻll save even more.
3. Today, an individual can use the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for a sick or injured spouse, but cannot use it to seek protection from an abuser for court hearings, medical appointments, counseling, etc . What is your position on proposals like The SAFE Act that would provide job protected safe leave for survivors of family abuse?
JoAnn Yukimura: To extend the FMLA protections and benefits to victims of domestic violence in terms of related court hearings and medical appointments seems perfectly logical; counseling would seem to be something that could be scheduled around work hours. As mayor, after investigating cost and legality, I will extend that coverage to County workers. I support the protections of the SAFE Act which prohibits the firing of a domestic violence survivor due to time lost and work interruptions are critical to the survivorʻs transition back to normal life with family and community. We need to protect the job and financial security of those victims.
Health and Safety of Women and Girls Questions:
4. In Hawaii, deaths due domestic violence continue to tear apart families and communities. What would you do to address this pervasive crisis?
JoAnn Yukimira: As mayor, I would bring stakeholders, service providers and advocates together to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of both the system response and the community response to domestic violence (DV) to ensure that victims are not re-victimized as the agencies respond and to ascertain that there is an accurate understanding of the problem and appropriate response among employers, churches and other community groups to reduce and prevent domestic violence. In terms of the system response, the goal would be for the response agencies (police, women’s shelter, medical team, Children Justice Center, court,etc) to use a common language and work together to address weaknesses and gaps and strengthen accountability. Thanks to the efforts of the YWCA, Kauai Police Department, Children’s Justice Center, and others, great strides have been made on Kaua’i in coordinating and capacity building, but it would be good to review the adequacy of training, funding, judicial response, while seeking feedback from the experience of survivors as to what has worked or not worked for their families. I understand that the Domestic Violence Task Force is a forum for receiving feedback and sorting out problems and addressing challenges in the presence of one another, and I am grateful for that kind of service. As mayor I would support expansion of prevention and outreach education to build awareness in the community, counter the myths about DV, and train bystanders, teachers, employers, potential jurors, health care practitioners, faith leaders to identify need, provide support (without judgement) and guidance (who to call to get help). As mayor I would advocate addressing the root causes of violence. I agree that guns should be removed from a person under a DV Temporary Restraining Order. We must end homelessness of families with children, and as mayor I would initiate a Housing First pilot project similar to Hauiki Village on Sand Island in Honolulu where homeless families are being housed in permanent housing with child care and work training provided. We need to provide safe, clean affordable housing in good neighborhoods and affordable transportation for every family. Studies have shown that universal quality preschool is one of the best ways to provide a good foundation for learning and success. Children who become competent, confident, healthy and caring adults will contribute to rather than take away from society. This is what we must work for.
“Were we to apply our dollars intelligently to the people who take care of children, we would spend millions of dollars less on the damage done to our society by wounded adults. Wounded children become wounded adults, and wounded adults can destroy a planet.” — Marianne Williamson
5. Securing housing is one of the biggest barriers to domestic violence survivors who are starting new lives free from domestic violence, if elected, what would you do to address the affordable housing crisis that keeps DV victims at risk?
JoAnn Yukimura: To resolve the affordable housing crisis, the Kauaʻi General Plan says we need 1400 units right now and a total of 7200 affordable units by 2035. To catch up and meet our goal, in addition to the 3% annual earmark of existing real property taxes described under Question 2a herein, I will work as mayor to provide knowledgeable leadership and passionate support to ensure: 1. the continuation of a dedicated, fully staffed and competent Housing Agency, 2. a housing law that delineates a clear and fair requirement for developers of land to provide a fair share of affordable housing, 3. a permanent affordability policy, 4. a policy of locating affordable homes close to jobs to reduce traffic and household transportation costs, and 5. homeowner financial literacy training.
6. The #MeToo and #Times Up movements have elevated awareness of the staggering numbers of individuals that have experience sexual harassment, sexual assault, and gender discrimination. Kauai County in the past, has had several law suits regarding sexual harassment and gender discrimination resulting in tax payer money being used for large settlements. How would you ensure all County employees are protected and safe in their jobs?
JoAnn Yukimura: It is true that the County in recent years was plagued with sex assault and gender discrimination lawsuits which resulted from negligent management of personnel and poor policy implementation. With the establishment of a Human Resources Department focused in recent years on supervisory and managerial training and the countywide training of all employees as to the rights and responsibilities of dealing with, and documenting, sexual harassment and gender discrimination, and with the excellent work of the EEO/ADA coordinator, the lawsuits appear to be waning. As mayor, I will ensure that this kind of education, training and policy implementation continues.
7. To further protect the County from Liability relating to sexual harassment, sexual assault and gender discrimination, would you support incorporating into the County Procurement Process a requirement for all businesses that wish to do business with the County that they have adequate sexual harassment and gender equality policies?
JoAnn Yukimura: In its contracts, the County makes it clear that all contractors are independent and separate entities from the County, and the County requires all contractors to indemnify the County against any violation of state or federal laws including sexual harassment, sexual assault and gender discrimination. It also requires that all state and federal laws, including anti-discrimination and sexual assault laws, be followed in a contractor’s execution of the work for which the county has contracted. This is a better way of protecting the County than trying to mandate the overall policies of the contactor.