Police yesterday were searching for a group of boys after an 11-year-old girl said she was sexually assaulted Tuesday night at a downtown park.

The girl told police she was walking home from a school function when several boys confronted her at Beretania Community Park on 'A'ala Street at about 7:45 p.m.

Police said the girl was taken to the playground area, where she was sexually assaulted by an unknown number of boys.

Police said one of the boys also struck the girl.

The girl told police that she knew her attackers from school, but no arrests had been made as of yesterday afternoon. The girl also said the boy who punched her is a 15-year-old.

The girl was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

People familiar with the area said the attack highlights concerns they have about the park.

Celine Takahashi, who manages Kukui Gardens, the building next to Beretania Community Park, said she has seen evidence of prostitution and drug activity in the park.

"I have a lot of children who live here. I don't advise them to go into that park anymore," said Takahashi, who heard about the alleged attack when she read her building's security report yesterday morning.

About 3,000 people live in Kukui Gardens, and Takahashi estimates that about half are children. She said children from other nearby housing complexes, including Mayor Wright Housing, frequent the park.

Lynne Matusow, chairwoman of the Downtown Neighborhood Board, said she regularly hears complaints from the Kukui Street area. "Most of them have to deal with prostitutes or drugs," she said.

But she said she can't remember the last time she heard of anything like this happening. "It's a well-lit park," she said.

However, Bernadette Young, chairwoman of the Kalihi-Palama Neighborhood Board, said she doesn't think the park is very safe, especially at night.

"I wouldn't walk around there late at night," said Young, whose district borders the park.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com and Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.