New Report: AAPI Women Twice as Likely to Report Experiencing Incidents of Discrimination

Over 6,600 targeted instances of anti-Asian hate incidents reported by the AAPI community between March 2020 and March 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
May 20, 2021

Media Contacts:

NAPAWF
media@napawf.org 

Stop AAPI Hate
Sara Braun
stopaapihate@fenton.com

WASHINGTON — Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women are twice as likely to report experiencing a targeted hate incident than men, according to a new report released today in a collaboration between the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) and Stop AAPI Hate. Hate incidents include verbal harassment, avoidance/shunning, being coughed at/spat on, physical assault, workplace discrimination, vandalism, refusal of service or getting barred from an establishment or transport, and online harassment. Asian American women reported race, ethnicity, and gender as the reasons they experienced hate incidents. 

The report, which follows a spike in harassment and violence targeting AAPI communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, comes on the heels of NAPAWF’s landmark study on the priorities and perspectives of AAPI women as one of the country’s fastest-growing electorates. The majority, 78%, of AAPI women reported being affected by anti-Asian racism over the past two years and 55% had personally encountered specific instances of racism. 

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum Executive Director Sung Yeon Choimorrow issued the following statement:

“Both Asian American and Pacific Islander women have experienced harassment and violence as targets of racialized misogyny for as long as we have lived in this country. These concerning reports drive home that AAPI women are disproportionately impacted by the current spike in racist violence and targeted for our intersecting identities. The recent deaths of six Asian American women in Atlanta spas was deeply felt by AAPI women across the country who are afraid of what could happen to them when they step outside their homes. There is an urgent need for greater support and leadership for AAPI women. Our experiences and needs must be centered in the response to racism and sexism so that assistance, investments, and opportunities reach those who face the biggest barriers to thriving.”

Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate and Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council Manjusha P. Kulkarni issued the following statement:

“In the face of hate, we are proud to see the organizing efforts within the AAPI community and are heartened by the groundswell of support that we’ve seen from our allies. Together, as we push for policies and practices to combat hate, it is essential that we make a deliberate and united effort to address the intersectional hate AAPI women face. The racism and sexism we encounter has deeply entrenched roots, and demands holistic solutions. We must invest in community-based organizations — particularly those with women in leadership positions — that are responding to discrimination, and establish public safety systems that are structured to both support survivors of violence and prevent further violence.” 

Key findings from the study include: 

• AAPI ethnicities report disproportionate experiences with hate incidents: East Asian women were reported as the most likely victims of anti-Asian hate, with 67.6% of reported hate incidents against AAPI women experienced by East Asian women, 16.2% by Southeast Asian women, 8.1% by Multiethnic Asian women, 6.7% by Multiracial Asian women, and 1.3% percent by South Asian women.

• AAPI women experience different forms of hate and harassment across ethnicities: The predominant type of hate experienced by all AAPI women was verbal harassment or name-calling. For East Asian, Southeast Asian, and Multiracial/Multiethnic women, avoidance or shunning was the second most common form of hate, whereas for South Asian women, physical assault was the second most common form of hate. Over 16% of all hate incidents reported by South Asian women involved physical assault.

• The site of hate incidents, harassment or assault varies by ethnicity: East Asian and Multiethnic women reported that public streets or sidewalks were the most common sites of hate and discrimination, with the second-most common being places of business. Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Multiracial women identified places of business as the most common sites of hate and discrimination, followed by public streets or sidewalks. 

• AAPI women reported race, ethnicity, and gender as the most common reasons for experiencing hate: In addition to their race, ethnicity, and gender, East Asian and Southeast Asian women were more likely to report mask-wearing as a marker for experiencing hate and discrimination. South Asian women were more likely to report their language, religion, and food as reasons for experiencing hatred and discrimination.

###

About NAPAWF:

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build collective power so that all AAPI women and girls can have full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.

About Stop AAPI Hate:
Stop AAPI Hate is a national coalition addressing anti-Asian racism across the U.S. The coalition was founded by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies Department. Between March 19, 2020 and March 31, 2021, Stop AAPI Hate has received 6,603 reported incidents of racism and discrimination targeting Asian Americans across the U.S. Visit stopaapihate.org.