Sexual exploitation and domestic violence soared after Lahaina wildfire, report finds

Exclusive: One in six female survivors surveyed felt forced to engage in survival sex' for necessities after 2023 catastrophic Hawaii fire

Sexual exploitation and domestic violence soared after the catastrophic Lahaina wildfire in 2023, with pre-existing gender inequalities exposed and exacerbated by the post-disaster response, new research has found.

In the weeks and months after the deadliest American fire in a century, one in six female fire survivors surveyed felt forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities such as food, clothing and housing.