Since the 1970s, YWCA has provided response programs to victims of sexual assault known as Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS). The YWCA of Hawaiʻi Island is dedicated to changing the beliefs that accompany sexual violence. They seek to create a society that does not minimize sexual crimes, that does not permit the shaming or silencing of the assaulted or hide the crime out of shame – a society where perpetrators are held accountable, mandated for treatment and prevented from offending again.
The YWCA offers support services for victims and their families:
- Free, Confidential Counseling
- Advocacy
- Crisis Intervention
- Emotional and Moral Support
- Available for All Ages
- Assistance Deciding Whether to File a Police Report
- Therapeutic Services