September 13th, 2024
Oakland, CA — Today, on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV) joins our communities in celebrating the impact VAWA has had in supporting survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). VAWA’s ongoing efforts to provide coordinated community responses have provided lifelines to Asian/Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) and Middle Eastern and North African survivors across the United States and US territories.
According to our report, “Domestic Violence in Asian and Pacific Islander Homes”, 21-55% of AA and NHPI women report experiencing domestic or sexual violence during their lifetimes. AA and NHPI survivors also likely underreport domestic or sexual violence due to additional challenges to accessing safety, such as cultural stigma, language barriers, and immigration status.
Recognizing these barriers, VAWA’s Culturally Specific Services Program (CSSP) has provided funding for community-based programs to sustain meaningful, culturally relevant services for AA and NHPI survivors, as well as those from other marginalized identities. VAWA’s immigration provisions have helped thousands of immigrant survivors of GBV escape and overcome abuse, and VAWA’s housing provisions have created additional opportunities and resources for AA and NHPI survivors facing homelessness.
VAWA also supports training and technical assistance for culturally-specific organizations and other entities engaged in providing a coordinated community response for survivors, including AA and NHPI survivors whose primary language isn’t English.
Alongside these vital programs, the Violence Against Women Act has played a critical role in providing services for survivors from AA and NHPI communities, identifying and filling gaps in support, and strengthening our communities’ ability to reach out to those facing the highest barriers to safety. With the support provided by VAWA, AA and NHPI-serving advocates and community based organizations have been able to further provide for their communities and the unique needs of AA and NHPI and immigrant survivors. API-GBV commends VAWA for supporting survivors and helping us transform into a world free of gender-based violence.
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About Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence
The Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV) is a culturally specific national resource center on domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking, and other forms of gender-based violence in Asian/Asian-American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities. API-GBV envisions a world free of gender-based violence for communities with equal opportunities for all to thrive. For more information about API-GBV, visit www.api-gbv.org.
