The statistics on U.S. women and violence are staggering. “On average, one in three women are victims of intimate partner violence and one in five women are victims of sexual assault (NISVS 2012)”. These numbers call attention to the widespread issue of sexual violence in the U.S., which disproportionately affects women of color, immigrant women, LGBTQIA+ women, and disabled women.
For Asian and Pacific Islander (API) women sexual assault and violence are issues that routinely go unreported and under-addressed. “Of Asian and Pacific Islander women, 23% experienced some form of contact sexual violence, 10% experienced completed or attempted rape, and 21% had non-contact unwanted sexual experiences during their lifetime (APIG 2018). This percentage only represents the number of women who report their abuse. In order to address the issue of sexual violence against Asian and Pacific Islander women, it is imperative that we look at the unique barriers they face.
Many Asian and Pacific Islander Women live in an environment of fear, shame, coercive control, and devaluation that has been reinforced through generations. Cultural API women experience feeling invisible, unimportant, and having no ownership of their bodies. Women are often viewed as property. Members of the API communities, particularly in countries like the US and UK, are also often stereotyped as a "model minorities," and are expected to act as such: make no demands, keep your head down, achieve, and don’t complain. The need to protect these ideals can hinder API survivors from coming forward to report their abuse to Law Enforcement or their family. One Asian Survivor described the model minority in this way “The idea of the Asian immigrant 'model minority' is a cliché, but at least in my British-Chinese family, we were afraid of standing out. I was taught not to talk back — to aunties and uncles, to my parents, to my teachers, to perfect strangers. I learned the social benefits of being deferential, polite and well behaved. As with many Asian women, this meant that I was visible as a sex object, invisible as a person. Harvey Weinstein may not have created this imbalance, but he and many others have capitalized on it, knowingly or unknowingly, to abuse women of color (Ma, 2018)”. Concerns about individual and family reputation, privacy, and not wanting to jeopardize their own or their partner’s immigration status can stop Asian and Pacific Islander Women from addressing their sexual trauma. However, there are many things survivors can do to help heal from sexual assault.
Contacting their local rape crisis center is a great starting place. Our 24hr hotline is available at any time to assist them with any questions or concerns they may have. Our number is 864-467-3633. We can provide a translator over the phone through the language access line that is provided by the South
Carolina Coalition against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
They can also call The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP). DVRP is a non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Their mission is to address, prevent, and end domestic violence and sexual assault in Asian/Pacific Islander communities while empowering survivors to rebuild their lives after abuse. They provide free and confidential hotline services in over 20 Asian and Pacific Islander languages.
Their number is 1-202-833-2233.
There is additional information listed below that you may find helpful.
References:
Ma, A. (2018, January 18). Asian women find it harder than ever to speak out about sexual assault. Evelyn Yang's story is challenging that.
The Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence (APIG): April 2018, Sexual Violence in Asian and Pacific Islander Communities Fact Sheet
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010-2012 state report. Retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Links
National Organization of Asians and Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual Violence
https://napiesv.org/a/wp-content/uploads/NAPIESV-Listening-Sessions-Report-2013-FINAL-VERSION.pdf
The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource
https://dvrp.org/
Bureau of Justice Statistics
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/anhpivc.pdf
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
https://www.nsvrc.org/blogs/honoring-asian-and-pacific-islander-communities
For Asian and Pacific Islander (API) women sexual assault and violence are issues that routinely go unreported and under-addressed. “Of Asian and Pacific Islander women, 23% experienced some form of contact sexual violence, 10% experienced completed or attempted rape, and 21% had non-contact unwanted sexual experiences during their lifetime (APIG 2018). This percentage only represents the number of women who report their abuse. In order to address the issue of sexual violence against Asian and Pacific Islander women, it is imperative that we look at the unique barriers they face.
Many Asian and Pacific Islander Women live in an environment of fear, shame, coercive control, and devaluation that has been reinforced through generations. Cultural API women experience feeling invisible, unimportant, and having no ownership of their bodies. Women are often viewed as property. Members of the API communities, particularly in countries like the US and UK, are also often stereotyped as a "model minorities," and are expected to act as such: make no demands, keep your head down, achieve, and don’t complain. The need to protect these ideals can hinder API survivors from coming forward to report their abuse to Law Enforcement or their family. One Asian Survivor described the model minority in this way “The idea of the Asian immigrant 'model minority' is a cliché, but at least in my British-Chinese family, we were afraid of standing out. I was taught not to talk back — to aunties and uncles, to my parents, to my teachers, to perfect strangers. I learned the social benefits of being deferential, polite and well behaved. As with many Asian women, this meant that I was visible as a sex object, invisible as a person. Harvey Weinstein may not have created this imbalance, but he and many others have capitalized on it, knowingly or unknowingly, to abuse women of color (Ma, 2018)”. Concerns about individual and family reputation, privacy, and not wanting to jeopardize their own or their partner’s immigration status can stop Asian and Pacific Islander Women from addressing their sexual trauma. However, there are many things survivors can do to help heal from sexual assault.
Contacting their local rape crisis center is a great starting place. Our 24hr hotline is available at any time to assist them with any questions or concerns they may have. Our number is 864-467-3633. We can provide a translator over the phone through the language access line that is provided by the South
Carolina Coalition against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
They can also call The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP). DVRP is a non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Their mission is to address, prevent, and end domestic violence and sexual assault in Asian/Pacific Islander communities while empowering survivors to rebuild their lives after abuse. They provide free and confidential hotline services in over 20 Asian and Pacific Islander languages.
Their number is 1-202-833-2233.
There is additional information listed below that you may find helpful.
References:
Ma, A. (2018, January 18). Asian women find it harder than ever to speak out about sexual assault. Evelyn Yang's story is challenging that.
The Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence (APIG): April 2018, Sexual Violence in Asian and Pacific Islander Communities Fact Sheet
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010-2012 state report. Retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Links
National Organization of Asians and Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual Violence
https://napiesv.org/a/wp-content/uploads/NAPIESV-Listening-Sessions-Report-2013-FINAL-VERSION.pdf
The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource
https://dvrp.org/
Bureau of Justice Statistics
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/anhpivc.pdf
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
https://www.nsvrc.org/blogs/honoring-asian-and-pacific-islander-communities