Fundamentals of Domestic Violence: Cultural Contexts & Pathways to Healing

This training offers a culturally rooted framework for understanding domestic violence in Hawaiʻi and designing effective, responsive services. The session examines how Kānaka Maoli history continues to shape both the roots of harm and the pathways to healing. Participants are guided through the contrast between Western DV frameworks and Hawaiʻi-centered approaches. The training grounds this discussion in current data before turning to traditional healing modalities for practitioners to incorporate into their work.

Objectives:

1. Describe how Native Hawaiian, local Hawaiʻi, and geographic cultural factors shape domestic violence patterns and responses in Hawaiʻi.

2. Analyze Hawaiʻi-specific DV data—including statewide service counts, regional spikes, youth dating violence, and disaster-related increases to understand local service needs.

3. Differentiate between traditional healing practices (Hoʻoponopono, lāʻau lapaʻau, aloha ʻāina) and Western intervention models and assess their roles in trauma-informed care.

4. Identify cultural strengths and community assets that can be leveraged to prevent domestic violence and support survivors.

5. Recommend culturally responsive services such as integrative healing centers and inclusive disaster response protocols that address systemic service gaps.

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Hawaii Public Health Institute and the Western Region Public Health Training Center (WRPHTC). The WRPHTC is jointed accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continued Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

The planners and presenter for this training have no declared conflicts of interest.