Honolulu Sexual Assault Lawyer

Serving all the Hawaiian Islands

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Hawaii. The goal is to make people more knowledgeable about sexual violence and to support initiatives that are intended to prevent sexual violence in our communities.

At the Law Office of Jon S. Jacobs, LLLC, we take sexual assault cases very seriously and fight hard to ensure victims get the justice they deserve. If you or a loved one were a victim of sexual violence, our personal injury team can help. As a Honolulu sexual assault attorney with over 20 years of experience, Mr. Jacobs has the knowledge and resources to help you file a civil claim to hold the perpetrator accountable and receive compensation for your damages.

Contact (808) 468-6484 now to schedule a free consultation to discuss your rights and options. 

What Constitutes Sexual Assault?

In Hawaii, most sex crimes fall under the umbrella of sexual assault. There are four degrees of sexual assault. First-degree assault is the most severe offense, with fourth-degree assault being the least serious.

There are a variety of activities that are considered to be sexual assault, including:

• Sexual penetrating another person through the use of compulsion or force
• Sexual contact with another person through compulsion
• Exposing one’s genitals to another person
• Trespassing for the purpose of seeing another person in the nude

Sexual Assault Statistics

If you have been the victim of sexual assault, it is important to know that you are not alone. Thousands of people have experienced some form of sexual assault during their life.

Research shows that:

• 19% of American females and 2% of males are raped
• One in three women and one in eight men have been the victim of non-contact unwanted sexual violence 
• Approximately 40% of women have experienced unwanted touching or penetration
• 50% of the women who have been raped were raped by their intimate partners
• About one out of every two sexual assaults occur near or at the victim’s home
• Nearly 80% of sexual assault cases involved a perpetrator who was the victim’s acquaintance, friend, intimate partner, or family member
• Just over 9% of students at the University of Hawaii reported being sexually harassed both on and off-campus during their enrollment

These statistics give a better understanding of the frequency of sexual assault. However, the picture is still incomplete. Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes – the number would be much higher if everyone reported it.