News and Events
How Will the ‘Public Charge’ Final Rule Impact Immigrant Survivors? Updated Advisory & Informational Webinar
The DHS rule on the public charge ground of inadmissibility has been released and will be formally published on Wednesday, August 14, 2019. If litigation does not prevent the rule from taking effect, the policy will become effective on October 15. As noted by Tahirih Justice Center, an initial review shows that the published rule will penalize immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault who are subject to the public charge bar to admissibility, who use public benefits.
Informational webinar: 8/29/2019, 1:oopm PDT/4:00pm EDT to provide up-to-date analysis on the impact of the public charge inadmissibility rule on immigrant survivors. Save the date and register
Our Advisory, “How Will ‘Public Charge’ Policy Changes Impact Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault?” has been revised to reflect the provisions of the final rule. Download the Advisory to learn more about how public charge determinations will be made, which survivors will exempt, and how the rule will impact survivors and their families.
July Highlights: Directory Updates & Asian American Narratives
Happy August! Now that it has been nearly a year since the release of Crazy Rich Asians, the first major Hollywood movie in years to have a majority Asian cast, we are reflecting on how the portrayal of Asian Americans in popular media has evolved over the years. Though imperfect, Crazy Rich Asians — and now Always Be My Maybe, The Farewell, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and Searching among others — are welcome counterpoints to Hollywood’s history of portraying Asians as caricatures, punchlines, or villains. They offer glimpses into the stories of Asian Americans from different, more authentic, walks of life: from a confused but determined single father, to a working class musician rekindling romance with a celebrity chef from a Vietnamese refugee family, and to wealthy Singaporean immigrants.
Each Asian American, as all Americans, has grappled with the question of where (not if) they fit into this country’s fabric. As Asians form one of the most diverse racial categories in the US, there is no one answer, and it is promising that the media and popular culture are beginning to recognize this. Undoubtedly there is still room for improvement — ‘brown’ Asians, low-income Asians, queer Asians, Pacific Islanders (the list goes on) still have not received representation in meaningful ways — but we are optimistic about the progress and look forward to further change.
Directory of Community-Based Organizations Serving API Survivors Updated!
Our Directory of Domestic & Gender Violence Programs Serving Asians and Pacific Islanders includes information on over 160 amazing organizations across the U.S. and territories providing culturally-specific services or resources to Asian and Pacific Islander survivors of abuse. The Directory now also includes networks or coalitions providing resources, technical assistance/training, advocacy against gender-based violence, or other community services for API individuals.
June Highlights: Honoring All Communities, All Survivors
Happy Pride Month and Immigrant Heritage Month! With World Refugee Day (June 20th) also just behind us, there is no better time to honor Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQ, immigrant, and refugee communities: to hear their voices, to recognize the barriers they face, to celebrate their contributions, and to commit to holding space for them.
These communities enrich all of us, and the heritages they carry should be uplifted, not suppressed. Regardless of geographic origin or identity, we have always, and will continue to stand for all survivors of violence; and for healthy relationships built on love and respect, rather than power.
Advisory: How Do Recent HUD Proposed Rules About Verification of Immigration Status Impact Survivors of Domestic & Sexual Assault?
NOTICE & COMMENT PERIOD DEADLINE: July 9, 2019
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed regulations that change longstanding policy relating to immigration status verification requirements and disallowing those ineligible for federal housing assistance (i.e., members of “mixed-status” households) from residing in HUD’s public and specified assisted housing programs. This advisory describes impacts of the proposed rule on immigrant survivors of violence.
May 2019 Advocate & Legal Services Findings: Immigrant Survivors Fear Reporting Violence
In May 2019, a coalition of national organizations gathered feedback from nearly six hundred advocates and attorneys from across the United States, learning that many immigrant victims of domestic and sexual violence are now too afraid to call the police or go to court to get help. The advocates report that survivors have an increased fear of deportation, retaliation by their abusers, and separation from their children.
Past Events
May Highlights: Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a moment to celebrate the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of our communities, and to reiterate that violence has no place in them. Rather, we are proud to recognize API resistance to misogyny — from communities organizing to support survivors to women representing API voices in policy — as among the richest aspects of our heritage.
Read on for this month’s updates, including staff shoutouts to two API women leading the movement against violence.
#APIFamilyViolence Twitter & Facebook Chat for APAHM 2019
This event has ended. Visit our Twitter moment to see some highlights, or search the #APIFamilyViolence hashtag on Twitter or Facebook.
April Highlights: Resources for Sexual Violence Awareness Month
Sexual violence happens in every community, and it is always difficult to talk about. We hope that you will join us in continuing the conversation beyond Sexual Assault Awareness Month. There is still a long way to go before sexual violence is ended and gender roles are equalized, but we believe that this movement is stronger and will be more enduring than violence and misogyny.
Read on for this month’s updates
Beyond #MeToo: Movements in Asia
Women in Asia go beyond #MeToo, harnessing the power of social media to build movements & challenge misogyny in their communities. Here are a few of the campaigns they created.
Advocate and Legal Service Survey Regarding Immigrant Survivors 2019
Extended Deadline: April 26, 2019
We invite all advocates and attorneys who work with immigrant survivors of gender-based violence to participate in a survey to assess the impact of immigration policy changes on immigrant survivors of gender-based violence.
This survey was first conducted in 2017. Responses allowed us to create a summary document to demonstrate the impact of policy changes on immigrant survivors of violence. This information was valuable to advocates, policy makers, and the media’s efforts to inform the public. We are now repeating the survey to create a comparative set of data to assess the current impact of ongoing immigration policy change.
Help us recruit 200 Asian women for JHU’s DV risk factors study
So far, out of 600 immigrant and refugee women who have participated in this national study, only 35 are Asian. As a partner on this project, the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence wants your help to reach 200 Asian women domestic violence survivors so that the tool and the intervention can benefit them and also be a resource for advocates.
Let’s connect meaningful data from Asian women on risk and safety factors. Share this flyer!