Prevention Works: What The Evidence Shows
The Data No One Talks About is HERE! Read our stats to gain knowledge that turns Power into Action. Reclaim Power through Prevention. When you are Prepared that Changes Outcomes. When People Act, Violence Drops. Read how Prevention Saves Lives.
Why Empowerment
Self-Defense Matters
Evidence-Based Prevention & Personal Safety Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) is a prevention-focused, trauma-informed approach that teaches people how to recognize danger early, set boundaries, use their voice, and employ physical self-defense skills when necessary. Research consistently shows that ESD strategies significantly reduce the likelihood of sexual assault and do not increase the risk of injury.
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The Reality of Sexual Violence in the United States
• An estimated 423,000 people age 12 and older experience sexual assault or rape each year in the United States.
• Nearly every minute, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.
• Every nine minutes, the victim is a child.
Sexual violence remains one of the most underreported crimes, with long-term impacts on physical health, mental health, and community safety.
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Most Sexual Assaults Are Committed by Someone Known
• 60% of rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.
• Among child victims, 93% knew the perpetrator, most often as an acquaintance or family member.
These findings highlight why prevention must address everyday social situations, boundary violations, and coercive behaviors—not only attacks by strangers.
Sexual Violence in Vulnerable Settings
• An estimated 49,300 incarcerated adults experienced sexual victimization in U.S. prisons in the most recent reporting period.
In the U.S. military:
• 8,195 sexual assault reports were filed in the most recent fiscal year.
• Survey data estimates approximately 29,000 service members experienced unwanted sexual contact in a single year.
These environments further underscore the importance of personal agency, awareness, and self-protective capability.
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Core Findings Across Decades of Research
• Empowerment Self-Defense reduces victimization
• Clear, assertive resistance is protective, not dangerous
• Skills-based prevention supports confidence, autonomy, and resilience
• Teaching self-defense is a public health strategy, not victim-blaming
Foundational Perspectives in Trauma &
Feminist Self-Defense
“The guarantee of safety in a battering relationship can never be based upon a promise from the perpetrator… Rather, it must be based upon the self-protective capability of the victim.”
— Judith Lewis Herman, Trauma and Recovery
“The centrality of physical movement and tools in feminist self-defense courses is based on an understanding that embodied vulnerability is shaped by social conditioning—and that it can be changed.”
— Martha E. Thompson, Empowering Self-Defense Training
Why Prevention Skills Matter:
The Justice Gap
The criminal justice system alone cannot guarantee safety: • For every 1,000 sexual assaults, only 25 perpetrators are ultimately sentenced to incarceration. Empowerment Self-Defense does not replace accountability or legal systems—it fills the critical gap by providing tools people can use before, during, and after threatening situations.
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What Research Shows About Resistance
& Self-Protective
Actions Research from the National Institute of Justice and other federal studies consistently finds:
• Most self-protective actions significantly reduce the likelihood that a rape will be completed.
• Certain actions reduce the risk of rape by more than 80% compared to non-resistance.
The most effective actions include:
• Clear verbal resistance
• Physically fighting back
• Running away when possible
• These actions do not significantly increase the risk of serious injury.
In many cases, resistance stops an assault attempt before it escalates, particularly during early boundary-testing or “feeling-out” stages.
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Empowerment Self-Defense
is Evidence-Based.
Empowerment Self-Defense is not theoretical—it is supported by high-quality research.
Hawaii & Maui – Relevant Safety and Violence Statistics
Statewide Crime Overview
(State of Hawaii)
According to the most recent statewide report:
In 2021, the State of Hawaii reported 41,355 total index crimes statewide (violent plus property crimes).
3,849 of these were violent crimes, including rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder.
Rape accounted for ~18.5% of violent crimes in 2021 in Hawaii.
Reported rape offenses increased in 2021 compared to prior years.
Human trafficking offenses (commercial sex acts and involuntary servitude) were recorded, though they are not included in the general index crime totals due to separate tracking methods. 
Maui County Crime
Indicators For Maui County (2021 data):
• The county’s total Index Crime rate increased 6.0% overall vs the prior year.
• Violent crimes increased 21.4% (including rape, aggravated assault, and robbery).
• Rape accounted for approximately 20.6% of violent crimes reported in Maui County.
• Aggravated assaults increased, with hands/feet most commonly involved.
• Robbery rates decreased, and burglaries were at historically low levels.
• Property crime comprised the majority of reported offenses but is typically non-violent. 
Hawaii Statewide Trends
(New FBI Data for 2024)
According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data:
• In 2024, Hawaii’s overall violent crime rate was ~218 per 100,000 people, including:
• ~17.9% of violent crimes categorized as rape;
• ~62.5% as aggravated assaults.
Overall violent crime in Hawaii was lower than the U.S. average, though assault rates increased slightly between reporting years. 
Human Trafficking
• Human trafficking offenses in the State of Hawaii are tracked separately from core index crime figures.
• In 2021, there were reported offenses for both commercial sex acts trafficking and involuntary servitude, although relatively low absolute numbers were documented in the official crime report. 
Note: Official state figures often undercount trafficking due to reporting barriers and differences in how jurisdictions track it.
School Bullying
(Hawaii Youth Behavioral Data)
Statewide Youth Risk Behavior Survey data show:
• A significant percentage of high school students report being bullied on school property within the past 12 months.
• While the specific percentage varies by year and survey cohort, bullying among high school students is a documented youth-behavior indicator in Hawaii data dashboards. 
Domestic Violence & Intimate Partner Violence
(IPV) in Hawaii Recent reports from local advocacy organizations and domestic violence coalitions indicate:
• Rates of intimate partner violence and domestic abuse behaviors remain a significant public health concern in Hawai‘i.
• IPV includes physical assault, sexual assault, stalking, or other abusive behavior within intimate relationships and is linked to both reporting and service-seeking patterns statewide. 
➤ Post-disaster research following the 2023 Maui wildfires highlighted increases in domestic violence calls and sexual exploitation risk, including:
• Local service providers observed that crisis hotline calls doubled in the months after the wildfire.
• Surveys of fire survivors indicated elevated conflict at home and unsafe situations associated with housing instability. (This research points to heightened vulnerability after natural disasters, though formal statewide statistics for 2023–2025 are emerging and may not yet be fully compiled into official crime reports.)
Global Evidence on Violence Prevention & Self-Protective Actions
Evidence on Violence Prevention & Self-Protective Actions
1) WHO: Violence Is a Leading Global Health Concern
• Violence is a major public health issue worldwide The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies interpersonal violence as a leading cause of death and injury globally, especially among young people.
• Around 470,000 homicides occur worldwide each year.
• For people ages 15–44, intentional injury (violence) is among the top causes of death. (WHO Global Status Report on Violence Prevention, 2019)
Why this matters:
Violence isn’t isolated geographically; prevention is a global priority.
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2) WHO: Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Worldwide
According to WHO estimates:
• 1 in 3 women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime, usually by a partner.
• For some regions, rates reach up to 70% of women who experienced violence from an intimate partner. (WHO Global and regional estimates of violence against women, 2021)
Why this matters:
The prevalence is pervasive enough to warrant prevention strategies, including personal and community-based empowerment education.
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3) WHO: Violence Prevention Works
WHO calls violence “preventable” and identifies strategies that reduce risk, including:
• Programs that strengthen life skills and self-confidence
• School-based learning on respect, boundaries, and communication
• Community mobilization to change norms
• Teaching coping and self-protective skills as part of comprehensive prevention (WHO Violence Prevention: The Evidence, 2010)
Why this matters:
Self-protective skill building — including aspects of ESD — fits within global best practices recognized by WHO.
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4) UN Women / Global Data on Violence Prevention
UN Women synthesis reports show:
• Educating girls and women on safety, boundaries, and assertiveness is linked to lower risk of victimization.
• Programs integrating self-protective skills + social norms interventions have measurable effects on reducing sexual and intimate partner violence in communities. (UN Women Global Database on Violence Against Women)
Why this matters:
ESD is more effective when paired with social support, community norms change, and structural prevention efforts.
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5) Randomized Research: Resistance Training Reduces Assault
A major multi-country review of sexual assault resistance programs found:
• Programs grounded in empowerment, assertiveness, and resistance skills show significant reductions in completed or attempted sexual assault.
Outcomes include:
• Reduced victimization rates
• Increased confidence and use of protective strategies
• De-escalation and avoidance skills (International studies on sexual assault resistance education, peer-reviewed journals)
Why this matters:
Evidence isn’t just U.S.-centric — rigorous research from several countries supports skills-based prevention
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6) ESD-Aligned Programs Reduce Risk Factors
Research from Europe, Australia, and Canada shows:
• Self-defense training increases assertiveness and boundary enforcement, especially among girls and women.
• It also enhances awareness of risk cues and confidence to intervene early.
(Literature reviews on self-defense and risk reduction training)
Why this matters:
Outcomes aren’t just about physical ability — they relate to:
• Recognition of danger cues
• Assertive communication
• Strengthened agency
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7) Adolescent Programs Show Long-Term Benefits
Studies in schools worldwide indicate:
• Early prevention programs focused on respect, consent, peer support, and assertiveness reduce bullying, harassment, and sexual violence indicators.
• These programs also enhance bystander action, critical for preventing escalation. (Global reviews of school-based violence prevention interventions)
Why this matters:
Empowerment and skill-building at a young age support community-wide culture change.
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8) Combination Prevention Models Are Strongest
Global prevention science consistently finds:
• Multi-component strategies > single tactics alone
This includes:
• Self-protective skills
• Social norms change
• Legal protections
• Community structures and support (WHO, UN Women, CDC studies)
Why this matters:
ESD is part of a holistic prevention ecosystem, not an isolated fix.
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9) ESD as a Public Health Strategy
Leading global authorities describe violence prevention using a public health approach, which includes:
• Primary prevention
• Risk reduction
• Skill building
• Empowerment
• Addressing structural causes
(WHO Violence Prevention Framework)
Why this matters:
ESD fits within a public health model embraced by major health organizations worldwide.
