Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has misused a disturbing finding in a survey and study of Maui fire survivors as a pretext for urging the tear-down of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It’s one of a myriad of questionable claims — and actions — emanating from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Trump administration in the last six months, but this one is personal to islanders.
DHS and Noem chose to attribute the hardships and, in some cases, sexual exploitation of Filipina women left homeless by the Aug. 8, 2023, fire that devastated Maui to FEMA’s incompetence. That is a gross misrepresentation of research conducted by two Hawaii academics, Khara Jabola-Carolus and Nadezna Ortega, who have called out Noem’s statements. It’s a disservice to all Lahaina survivors. And it’s another blow to the credibility of Noem and DHS.
A week ago, on July 9, Noem attended a meeting of the FEMA Review Council, established by President Trump to evaluate the agency and suggest reforms — and blasted FEMA, stating, “This entire agency needs to be eliminated as it exists today and remade.”
“After the wildfires in Maui, residents voiced concerns that every FEMA employee that they spoke with had different answers,” Noem said. “None of them had conversations that resulted in getting assistance that was helpful. … The situation in Lahaina was so bad that 1 in 6 survivors were forced to trade sexual favors, other favors, for just basic supplies.”
“Equality in Flames” co-author Jabola-Carolus responded that Noem missed the point completely, holding out the survivors’ dilemma while federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents under Noem’s authority continued to round up immigrants across the country.
ICE actions in Hawaii have worsened matters, further discouraging Filipinas from reporting sexual exploitation, Jabola-Carolus said: “DHS also has to take the blame for immigrant women hiding in the shadows and not getting the help they need. It’s 10 times worse under the leadership of Kristi Noem … terrorizing the immigrant community … than before January.”
Noemi’s statements were even more offensive in light of the fact that as she made her comments, a frantic search for survivors continued in central Texas, where deadly July 4 flash floods have killed at least 134. Before the flooding, Noem ordered cutbacks and restrictions in FEMA spending that limited FEMA’s ability to quickly respond — or even answer phone calls seeking help.
It’s a troubling truth that people who are threatened with loss of their basic needs for survival — shelter, food, safety — are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, turning (or being pushed into) “survival sex” in exchange for help. A 2018 study of 151 homeless youth on Oahu, ages 12 to 24, turned up similarly disturbing stories, with 13% reporting that they engaged in survival sex.
For Maui survivors, the threat of sexual assault, domestic violence or pressure to engage in survival sex was intensified by the stresses of the disaster.
It’s an outrage that Hawaii should tolerate the existence of such desperate conditions in any part of our state. Hawaii must act — not by tearing down disaster response, but reforming it.
Commendably, Honolulu responded to 2018’s study on homeless youth with added services and improved options for shelter.
The Maui study’s findings should similarly prod local, state and federal bodies to improve disaster response procedures so that no survivor faces this traumatizing dilemma.
The “Equality in Flames” authors recommend working to head off sexual exploitation and domestic violence by coordinating local and FEMA actions, incorporating cultural sensitivity and expert input — promising ideas that must be examined by Hawaii’s leaders, despite federal intransigence, to establish a framework for future action.
The report includes 27 recommendations to better serve survivors. It’s final recommendation is to “fund FEMA to implement these reforms.” Hawaii must step to the forefront to encourage this when political tides shift.
Source: The Garden Island
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