Highlights! Centering Asian & Pacific Islanders in Domestic Violence Awareness Month

A look back and a look forward: 10/3/19

Centering Asian & Pacific Islanders in Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Dear Friends,

Fall is finally upon us, and it brings Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Throughout the coming weeks, we'll be sharing snapshots from our research on DV in Asian and Pacific Islander communities, as well as highlighting some of the inspiring work API community-based agencies are doing. In the meantime, here are three ways you can help center API survivors in DVAM:

Teach: Mainstream perception is that domestic violence is not an issue in Asian communities. "Model Minority" has long become a household term, minimizing the experiences of the 21-55% of Asian women who experience violence from a partner. Pacific Islanders, a minority within the API minority, are further overlooked due to their relatively small U.S. population. Our factsheets aim to increase visibility of API survivor stories and needs. Please help us by sharing them with your friends and networks!
Statistics on Gender-Based Violence in Asian and Pacific Islander Communities
Factsheets on abuse in Chinese, Filipino, Hmong (new!) Korean, Muslim, Pacific Islander, South Asian, and Vietnamese communities
Technical assistance brief on Domestic & Family Violence Dynamics in Asian and Pacific Islander Homes
Our most-downloaded publication, the Facts & Stats Report: Domestic Violence in Asian and Pacific Islander Homes, will be revised this month with updated statistics!

Speak: This month, we're excited to be participating in NRCDV's #1Thing campaign, because like NRCDV, we believe that change can start with only #1Thing. Visit their campaign website for ideas for #1Things as big as hosting a community event and as small as resharing something on your social media. Together, our #1Things can have a collective impact towards increasing awareness and support for API survivors of domestic violence.

Give: In 2018, NNEDV's national 1-day domestic violence services census found that 9,183 requests for services went unmet due to insufficient resources. That means that almost ten thousand survivors went without shelter, transportation, childcare, or other needs on just that one day. This DVAM, consider donating money, giftcards, or household items to a local shelter -- many agency websites list needed items like clothing or toiletries. Or, volunteer your time at a shelter or at a community event! Here are 160+ agencies serving API communities we've worked with that could use your support.

Last week, we were electrified by the energy, sharp insight, and loving solidarity expressed by the community advocates we convened for a roundtable on centering LGBTQ survivors.

Learning from feedback received after our August 2018 summit, we invited this amazing group of advocates to guide us in intentionally making space for LGBTQ survivors, envisioning what this could look like in the context of our work, and co-strategizing about how we could get there. We learned so much from this conversation and, acknowledging that this convening was a starting point, not an end-goal, we are excited to be bringing the momentum forward.

We will be sharing more learnings and highlights soon!

Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Orgs Oppose Harmful Public Charge Rule

API-GBV, in collaboration with the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) co-chairs and over 40 organizations dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault, filed an amicus brief in September highlighting the harm that the public charge rule will impose on immigrant survivors of violence.

"This harmful rule will further undermine efforts by victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to secure essential services that enable them to escape from or overcome abuse"

For the full brief, see this AIS media release

Preventing Abusive International Marriages and GBV in Hmong Communities

We co-sponsored a 2-day national convening of 80 Hmong advocates to address changing trends and dynamics in Asia and in the U.S.; and prevention and intervention in light of these current contexts. Building on decades of grassroots organizing and advocacy in the U.S., Laos and Thailand, the centering of Hmong feminism to promote gender justice and queer justice was a powerful theme. Conference topics included engaging men; gender-based violence in Hmong LGBTQ groups; survivor-centered advocacy; the impacts of abusive international marriages on survivors and advocates; community engagement to promote gender equality; prevention strategies; and developing action plans for California, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

We are proud to continue playing a supporting role over the years to this amazing group of leaders. Learn more about their work here

Celebrating 35 years of FVPSA!

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, which has been instrumental in supporting domestic violence survivors, turns 35 on 10/15/19! Join us and partners on a webinar as we reflect on accomplishments, success stories, and other impacts over the years.

10/15/19, 11 am PDT

Week Without Violence: October 14-18, 2019

We have signed up to be partners in YWCA USA's Week Without Violence campaign! Join us in committing to a world without gender violence by checking out the WWV 2019 toolkit, or signing your organization up to be a partner.

One year ago, for DVAM 2018, many of you helped us share messages of support and thanks with domestic violence advocates dedicating every day to supporting survivors and helping them heal from abuse.

Check out highlights from last year's #ShareSupport4DVAM campaign!

News and Updates from the Field:

Domestic Violence Awareness Hasn't Caught Up With #MeToo. Here's Why (New York Times): #MeToo has shown the strength of multiple accusations, but domestic violence victims usually speak up alone
How Asian American Storytelling is (Finally) Moving Forward in 2019 (Forbes): Three ways Asian American representation is making giant leaps forward
To Stop Sexual Violence, We Need to Change How We Engage with Kids (Washington Post): Sexual assault prevention strategies typically come in the form of annual workplace seminars and educational programs on college campuses. But these efforts don't work.
Uber Makes Changes Amid Swarm of Criticism over Rider Safety (Washington Post): Uber's forthcoming safety tool kit, launched in response to sexual assault and other safety allegations, aims to improve passenger safety
The Violence Against Women Act Was Signed 25 Years Ago. Here's How the Law Changed American Culture (Time): Many experts credit VAWA with contributing to the rate of DV in the U.S. and creating profound cultural change
Why It Matters that "Emily Doe" in the Brock Turner Case is Asian-American (New York Times): In her memoir, Ms. Miller writes about how growing up Asian-American had made her feel "used to being unseen, to never being fully known."

Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence

Oakland, CA | [email protected] | api-gbv.org