Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem implied Wednesday the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Biden administration was so inept in dealing with the 2023 Lahaina wildfires that 1 out of every 6 survivors had to resort to selling sex for basic human essentials.
“After the wildfires in Maui, residents voiced concerns that every FEMA employee that they spoke with had different answers,” Noem said during a meeting of the FEMA Review Council. “None of them had conversations that resulted in getting assistance that was helpful or any clarity in their situations. The situation in Lahaina was so bad that 1 in 6 survivors were forced to trade sexual favors, other favors for just basic supplies.”
On Aug. 8, 2023, devastating wildfires ravaged much of the small Maui town of Lahaina, claiming more than 100 lives. The disaster put many residents on a collision course between lingering insurance claims and meeting basic life needs. In citing her statistic, Noem was referencing a report conducted by Tagnawa, a “Filipino feminist disaster response organization” based in Hawaii that polled 70 female Filipino fire survivors.
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