Monthly Updates and Resources from API-GBV

November 4, 2020

This past Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we have had the valuable opportunity to connect with advocates working in creative, transformative ways to end domestic violence. Institute staff participated in multidisciplinary taskforces, collaborative workteams, Twitter Chats, Twitter Storms and webinar panels. This month, we also launched our first community connect calls for the AANHPI community (and we are eager to share information about our next call soon!), and we are truly grateful to all those who tuned in to share support for each other.

These opportunities to create and deepen connections with our allies have helped to break down some of the isolation the pandemic has created, and we hope that you have come out of DVAM with a similar feeling of purpose and solidarity.

As we wait with frayed nerves for the results of yesterday's election, we want to make this clear: No matter what happens, our vision of a world free of gender violence does not change. We are here for survivors. We stand against violence, racial injustice, and hate in all forms. We will not stop standing until they are eradicated from our communities.

Meet Annika Altfeld, our new Administrative Coordinator!

Annika brings over 20 years of experience working in operations and administrative roles, with a strong focus on the non-profit and environmental/conservation sectors. Originally from Maui, Hawai'i, Annika now resides in Southern California. Annika is also passionate about painting tropical watercolors and sharing the Aloha spirit. We're very excited to have Annika on staff supporting our programs and operations! Click here to learn more about Annika's work and get in touch!

Immigration policy updates:

During the past few months, we have seen several immigration-related policies and system threaten the health and safety of immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. Take a look at this recent Alliance for Immigrant Survivors policy updates newsletter for updates related to COVID-19 relief, the asylum system, and other issues impacting survivor safety.

Facts & Stats Report, Updated & Expanded for DVAM 2020!

The Facts & Stats Report is our most comprehensive collection of statistics on domestic violence, help-seeking behavior, health and mental health impacts, DV-related homicide, and more issues affecting Asian and Pacific Islander homes. The 2020 expanded report has been significantly reworked to include new reports and sources.

Download the updated Facts & Stats Report!

Thank you to everyone who helped get the word out for our Executive Director search! After the application deadline (11/6/20), our Board will be reviewing applications and preparing to hire by January or February of 2021!

November is Native American Heritage Month. According to the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center, Native women experience DV at a 2.5x rate, compared to other groups.

Visit NIWRC for more info & resources

Economic impacts of COVID-19 on survivors

Survey results, data briefs, essential stories, and recommendations for practice and policy are available now, from CSAJ

More info

Resources for AANHPI, LEP, and immigrant survivors, communities, and advocates during COVID-19

(Updated regularly)

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, all API-GBV staff is telecommuting, and all upcoming meetings or trainings will be online. We remain available for technical assistance or virtual training requests.

Get in touch!

News and Updates from the Field:

Asian Americans in San Francisco are Dying at Alarming Rates from COVID-19: Racism is to Blame (6-part series) (USA Today): 38% of the 123 COVID-19 deaths reported by the SF Dept of Health are Asian American residents, the most of any ethnicity.
Chinese Americans Face COVID-Based Discrimination (WebMD): Study finds that half of Chinese American parents and their children have experienced an in-person episode of racial discrimination related to the pandemic.
Property Pimps: What to Do if Your Landlord Pressures Sex for Rent during COVID-19 (Medium): About 1/3 of Americans were unable to pay rent on April 1st. Male landlords are taking advantage of the intensifying financial pressure.
A Reflection on Moving towards Sexual Pleasure and Emotional Healing after Female Genital Cutting (Sahiyo): Webinar on the psycho-sexual impacts of FGC and understanding the process of healing.
Report Reveals Linkages Between Human Trafficking and Forced Marriage (UN News): Across the world, girls as young as 12 are being forced or tricked into marrying men who exploit them for sex and domestic work, in what UNODC has called an "under-reported, global form of human trafficking."
'Revenge Porn' was Already Commonplace. The Pandemic has made Things Even Worse (Washington Post): 90% of revenge porn victims are women; on top of that, women face greater social and cultural retribution than men for being featured.
Silenced No More: Survivors of Sexual Violence Turn to Instagram, Demanding to be Heard (The Brown Daily Herald): Voices of Brown, started as a safe space for survivors, has surged into a movement to prevent future harm.
Victims Must Not be Lost in Domestic Violence and Policing Debates (Ms. Magazine): When it comes to policing domestic violence, it's not all or nothing. Policing is not the answer. "Community" is not the answer either.

Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence

Oakland, CA | info@api-gbv.org | api-gbv.org