A pair of murders allegedly tied to domestic violence has rattled communities on Maui. Sign wavers came out to Kahului on Monday to rally for an end to the violence, which has taken the lives of two Maui women this year — Janine Kara Sturgeon and Cynthia Moore.
A bill has been making its way through the state Legislature this session that would crack down on perpetrators of domestic violence, in an effort to aid victims.
Senate Bill 295 would impose longer prison sentences and larger fines for those who violate temporary restraining orders. Minimum sentencing would increase from 48 hours to 15 days, and fines would double from $150 to $300. The bill's next committee hearing is Thursday.
Monique Ibarra is the CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Center, which has advocated in support of the bill. Ibarra testified when SB 295 crossed over to the House of Representatives.
"We want to make sure that those who use violence have an understanding like this is not OK," she told The Conversation. "We're going to do more to make sure that you're held accountable and you are refrained as much as possible from going to that person that you're harming."
Ibarra said that nine Hawaiʻi individuals died due to domestic violence in 2024.
For victims struggling with domestic violence or family abuse, Ibarra said a restraining order is only one part of a safety plan — and restraining orders require strong enforcement. She also urged people to look out for their neighbors and connect with local resources.
"Reach out to those organizations if you have questions for yourself or your loved one, or even if you have a family member that you know uses violence and you're not quite sure what to do," she said.
"Children can go to their school counselors if they're afraid at home. Having those conversations are very important, and it's such an uncomfortable situation, we really don't like to talk about family violence or abuse that's happening in our families, but this is where we as a community can start asking questions and making ourselves available."
The Domestic Violence Action Center’s toll-free helpline is 800-690-6200.
This interview aired on The Conversation on March 19, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
