usa news: The average profile of a missing child in Hawaii is a 15-year-old Native Hawaiian girl. Despite making up just 10% of the state’s population, Native Hawaiian girls and women account for nearly 2 in 3 of its sex trafficking victims.

This week, President Joe Biden signed legislation that ensures Native Hawaiian organizations can use Violence Against Women Act funds to better support Hawaii’s indigenous women. In previous versions of the nearly 30-year-old law, money was allocated for native women but not specifically Native Hawaiians, creating a loophole that left many women unable to get support.

“Native Hawaiian women have long been unjustly excluded from accessing much-needed resources for survivors provided through the Violence Against Women Act,” said Hawaii U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, who led the legislative effort, in a statement. “Now, Native Hawaiian organizations will have access to support and resources to serve the Native Hawaiian community and work towards eradicating sexual violence in our state.”

Here’s a look at Hawaii’s missing and murdered epidemic.