El Distrito de Tránsito del Condado de San Mateo está buscando información de los pasajeros sobre sus experiencias con las paradas de autobús de SamTrans.
El distrito lanzará una encuesta en línea del 20 de marzo al 30 de abril y organizará una reunión virtual en abril para tomar nota de los comentarios.
La encuesta hará preguntas sobre los servicios de las paradas de autobús, como asientos, refugios, información sobre la llegada del autobús y botes de basura. Los resultados de la encuesta ayudarán a SamTrans a diseñar su Plan de mejora de paradas de autobús, que establece una hoja de ruta para invertir en las renovaciones que más importan a los pasajeros en sus mil 800 paradas de autobús en múltiples jurisdicciones.
Programado para completarse a fines de este año, el plan de mejora incluirá un inventario actualizado de paradas de autobús, pautas de diseño y criterios para realizar mejoras en las paradas de autobús junto con los gobiernos locales.
Se invita a los miembros de la comunidad a opinar sobre el plan en una reunión comunitaria, programada para el 20 de abril de 5:30 a 6:30 p. 822 8623 4287.
La depresión es uno de los problemas más comunes entre los universitarios, pero poco se habla de ello. Sin embargo, para los californianos existe el programa College Corps que ayuda a los universitarios no solo económica sino también emocionalmente.
Factores como las deudas universitarias, el estrés laboral, el deseo por conseguir empleo y mantener un buen nivel académico son algunas de las razones por las que los estudiantes universitarios sufren depresión.
Currently, the College Corps program, promoted by the governor of the state of California, Gavin Newsom, has resulted in a change in the lives of students and their communities.
El programa College Corps, proporciona trabajo significativo a los estudiantes universitarios a cambio de servir a la comunidad, ayudando así a que se gradúen a tiempo y con menos deudas universitarias, al recibir hasta 10 mil dólares.
Y es que el trabajo que deben hacer los estudiantes les permite generar experiencia laboral, aprender y desarrollar habilidades, así lo señaló Emilio Ruiz, estudiante y embajador del programa College Corps de la Universidad de California de Long Beach —CSULB, por sus siglas en inglés—.
«College Corps es una experiencia emocionante y transformativa, realmente puede ayudar a hacer conexiones», contó.
Asimismo, señaló que el programa no solo lo ha inspirado a contribuir en la educación de los niños sino también ha mejorado su autoestima, pues se dio cuenta que gracias a College Corps desarrolló habilidades que le permiten desenvolverse de manera óptima en el mundo laboral, cosas que no hubiera logrado de no haber sido beneficiario del programa.
Por su parte, Ishmael Pruitt, CEO de Project Optimism, señaló que desafortunadamente los procesos para que los estudiantes se gradúen, son tan complicados que les generan estrés y preocupación por conseguir empleo, por lo que programas como College Corps son un gran apoyo para ellos.
Y es que, el estrés, preocupación y depresión provocan que los jóvenes abandonen sus estudios, especialmente los de las comunidades de color, que no solamente llegan a sufrir problemas económicos sino también de discriminación y violencia, por lo que programas como estos buscan crear oportunidades para el desarrollo personal y profesional de ellos.
En su oportunidad, Beth Manke, profesora de Desarrollo Humano y directora de Programa de CSULB College Corps, señaló que el programa ofrece «experiencias transformadoras», para los estudiantes a través de las prácticas que realizan como parte del programa.
«Sabemos lo importante que esto es para los estudiantes que se van a graduar», dijo Manke e hizo énfasis en la importancia de que el programa permita que los jóvenes desarrollen habilidades para ingresar al mundo laboral.
De igual manera, señaló qué hay estudios que indican que hasta un 60 por ciento de estudiantes universitarios han reportado síntomas de ansiedad y depresión, por lo que el programa College Corps busca combatir estos problemas de salud mental a través del acompañamiento y el sentido de pertenencia.
Allison Briscoe-Smith, psicóloga clínica, destacó que la ansiedad y la depresión son las dos principales barreras para los estudiantes universitarios y es que a pesar de que el problema ya existía años atrás, con el inicio de la pandemia por COVID-19, se agravó aumentando el número de jóvenes que padece un problema de salud mental.
«Los estudiantes se sienten desesperados y aislados, están contribuyendo a que los jóvenes no sepan a donde pertenecen», señaló al tiempo que recalcó que el programa les permite conectarse, eliminar el aislamiento y sentir que pertenecen a algo importante.
Josh Frydey, jefe de Servicio de California dentro del gabinete del Gobernador Gavin Newsom para dirigir los esfuerzos de servicio, voluntariado y compromiso cívico en toda California, señaló que el programa College Corps, busca «crear esperanza», un plan, una acción y un camino al cambio para los jóvenes que luchan día a día por terminar sus estudios universitarios.
«Cuando veo estudiantes luchando y trabajando se que nos han demostrado la valentía para hacer los cambios que necesitamos y por eso con College Corps todos ganan, les pagamos la escuela para que no tengan que pedir préstamos, ayudamos a la comunidad y contribuimos a que los jóvenes trabajen juntos», finalizó.
In a draft investigative report, Pentagon officials presented a report claiming that aliens visit our solar system by launching hard-to-detect mini-probes from a mother ship.
The report published on March 7, which focuses on the physical limitations of unidentified aerial phenomena, was prepared by Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon's All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), and Abraham Loeb, chairman of the astronomy department at the Harvard University.
The AARO was established in July 2022 and is responsible for tracking objects in the sky and underwater.
“…An artificial interstellar object could potentially be a mother ship that releases many small probes during its close pass of Earth, an operational construct not unlike NASA missions,” the report reads.
It should be noted that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ‒ NASA, for its acronym in English‒ has been responsible since 2005 for finding 90 percent of all near-Earth objects with a diameter of more than 140 meters, which has generated various advances such as the Pan-STARRS telescopes, according to the report.
On October 19, 2017, Pan-STARRS detected an unusual cigar-shaped interstellar object that appeared flat and propelled itself away from the Sun without leaving a cometary tail. This led scientists to believe it was artificial, and after further analysis, the object was named “Oumuamua,” or “scout” in Hawaiian.
"With proper design, these tiny probes could reach Earth or other planets in the solar system for exploration, passing the parent spacecraft within a fraction of the Earth-Sun separation, just as Oumua did," the authors wrote.
"Astronomers would not be able to detect the dew from the miniprobes because they do not reflect enough sunlight for existing survey telescopes to detect them," officials at the US Department of Defense headquarters (Pentagon) said.
The report shows that the possibility of being observed by other beings in the universe is real and research is key to acquiring more information about these strange events.
These are the local news from March 11 to 17 that you need to know to stay up to date.
A green wave swept across San Mateo County on Friday as celebrations began for St. Patrick's Day, a holiday that began as a religious holiday in 1631 when the church declared it a public holiday. However, the festivities have been marred by severe weather.
Rain and strong winds have not given residents throughout the Bay Area a break, as power outages and flooding have been a problem, so authorities have urged everyone to be prepared for rain forecasts this weekend. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
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The St. Patrick's Day parade took place in San Francisco on Saturday, March 11, resulting in road closures and detours for downtown Muni services.
The parade took place along Market Street beginning at Second Street and ending at the San Francisco Civic Center.
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The Pajaro River dam broke during the night of Friday, March 10, prompting evacuations.
The flood barrier breached around midnight, according to a news release from the Monterey County Health Department.
Crews from the county water resources agency and the state water resources department were on the scene at the time attempting to combat flooding.
Evacuations of most of the Pajaro community were ordered just before midnight and expanded shortly afterward to include all flooded areas in the area.
National Guard high water rescue vehicles were stationed in the area to assist in the evacuation effort, which included door-to-door checks by Monterey County sheriff's deputies, Cal Fire fire crews and North Monterey County firefighters.
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The Chairman Joseph Biden He said this morning that, thanks to the swift action of his administration in recent days, "Americans can trust that the banking system is safe" and that "their deposits will be there when they need them" following the bankruptcy of SVB.
Following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank's shares last Friday, which generated uncertainty in the country's financial system, Signature Bank also reported its collapse.
"Small businesses across the country that had deposit accounts at these banks can breathe easy knowing that they will be able to pay their workers and pay their bills. And their workers can breathe easy, too," Biden said at a press conference.
The president explained that last week, upon learning of the problems facing the banks and the impact they could have on employment, on some small businesses and on the banking system in general, he gave instructions to act quickly and protect those interests.
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Approximately 16,000 residents were affected by warnings and evacuation orders due to the levee breach on the Pajaro River, Monterey County officials announced Monday.
Nearly 5,000 residents were also ordered to shelter in place in areas west of River Road from Interstate 68 south to Fort Romie Road, and Las Palmas 1 and 2 and Indian Springs.
They also encouraged residents who receive water from the Pajaro, Sunny Mesa and San Ardo water districts not to use tap water for drinking and cooking, as it may be contaminated.
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Strong winds in the Bay Area on Tuesday caused delays in arrivals at San Francisco International Airport as the Federal Aviation Administration initiated a grounding program that delayed domestic arrivals by an average of 80 minutes.
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In the wake of Silicon Valley Bank's tumultuous closure and a weekend of uncertainty that has dominated national headlines, the local impact of the financial institution's collapse in the tech-driven region was clear to the dozens of people who lined up outside the bank's Santa Clara branch Monday.
They all expected to access their accounts and keep the lights on in their businesses.
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced to his employees on Tuesday that he was laying off approximately 10,000 people and closing around 5,000 additional vacancies that have not yet been filled.
“This will be tough, and there’s no way around it. It will mean saying goodbye to talented and passionate colleagues who have been a part of our success. They have been dedicated to our mission, and I am personally grateful for all of their efforts. We will support people the same way we have before, and treat everyone with the gratitude they deserve,” Zuckerberg said.
The businessman explained that the American technology and social media conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California, said that in the next two months, the heads of the organizations will announce restructuring plans focused on reducing the size of their organizations, canceling lower-priority projects and slowing the pace of hiring.
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High winds in the Bay Area on Tuesday afternoon downed trees and power lines across the area, including Highway 92, which was closed near Half Moon Bay.
More than 155,000 PG&E customers in the Bay Area were without power early March 14 afternoon, most of them in the South Bay and East Bay.
At least 5,000 customers were also without power in Walnut Creek, as high winds downed trees and power lines in central Contra Costa County. Most of the damage is around Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill.
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As of Wednesday, March 15, more than 450,000 California residents were reported without power during high winds and rain a day earlier, PG&E officials said during a briefing.
In the Bay Area alone, about 108,000 people remained without power as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Officials said it was the 38th consecutive day that the company's emergency operations center has been active, pointing to an extraordinary winter season with high levels of rain, snow, flooding, mudslides and other storm-related emergencies across the state.
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Three years after the first COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders, San Mateo County's investment during the pandemic was approximately $360 million in recovery initiatives focused on helping those most affected.
The total, the county said, includes $188 million for housing, $76 million for food security and more than $16 million in direct financial assistance for individuals and families.
In this regard, she said that financial support was also directed to small businesses, child care providers and youth programs.
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San Mateo County officials are urging residents to prepare for more rain forecast for the weekend.
For Bay Area residents, it hasn't been easy during the seemingly endless cascade of storms that began late last year. With more rain in the forecast for the Bay Area, officials are urging people to stay alert and prepare for all kinds of things that could go wrong.
Natural disasters, particularly weather-related disasters, are becoming more frequent and more costly, both in terms of lives and losses. Extreme heat is now one of the deadliest types of weather incidents in the United States, causing more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes or floods.
The best time to prepare for any potential disaster is now, not until the lights go out or emergency managers issue evacuation orders, San Mateo County officials said.
In response, authorities have issued a guide to key local information that could help you and your family overcome an emergency, whether floods, fires, tsunamis, earthquakes or other challenges.
The Governor Gavin Newsom en conjunto con líderes estatales y locales, anunció el lanzamiento de mil millones de dólares en fondos de la ronda 4 de asistencia, prevención y vivienda para personas sin hogar ‒HHAP, por sus siglas en inglés‒ para apoyar a las comunidades más necesitadas, entre las que se encuentra la ciudad de San José, en el condado de Santa Clara.
Y es que, Newsom anunció la mayor movilización de pequeñas casas en el estado para atender a las personas sin hogar, especialmente aquellas que viven en campamentos. La Guardia Nacional de California asistirá en la preparación y entrega de mil 200 casas pequeñas a Los Ángeles, el condado de San Diego, San José y Sacramento, sin cargo y listas para ser ocupadas.
«En California, estamos utilizando todas las herramientas, incluida la mayor implementación de casas pequeñas en el estado, para sacar a las personas de las calles y trasladarlas a viviendas. Estamos abordando este problema desde la raíz, al abordar la necesidad de crear más viviendas, más rápido en el estado», señaló el gobernador.
Estas pequeñas casas son rentables y se pueden implementar rápidamente para trasladar a las personas de los campamentos para personas sin hogar a la vivienda.
Las ubicaciones para la colocación de estas casas pequeñas serán responsabilidad de las jurisdicciones locales. Sin embargo, cuando sea necesario y cuando esté disponible, el estado proporcionará terreno excedente para usar como una opción para este tipo de viviendas.
Cabe destacar que los gobiernos locales serán propietarios de las unidades y brindarán todos los servicios, incluido el reclutamiento de residentes, aprovechando los fondos estatales proporcionados anteriormente.
Así, la comunidad de Los Ángeles recibirá 500 unidades; Sacramento 350 unidades; San José 200 unidades y el condado de San Diego 150 unidades
«Tenemos la obligación moral de tomar medidas urgentes para reducir el sufrimiento humano en nuestras calles», dijo el alcalde de San José, Matt Mahan. «Esta movilización masiva de hogares pequeños acelera los enfoques innovadores necesarios para resolver la crisis de personas sin hogar de nuestro estado. Como alcalde de San José, estoy desafiando a nuestra ciudad a sacar a mil vecinos sin refugio de campamentos no administrados a alternativas más seguras para fines de este año. Esta iniciativa nos ayudará a llegar allí».
Damas girando en vestidos rojos, azules y verdes con faldas completas, deslizándose por la pasarela con zapatos de tacón de buen gusto y bolsos a juego: el Museo de Historia del Condado de San Mateo está recreando la década de 1950 en un desfile de modas en el museo de Redwood City el sábado por la tarde.
Mientras las modelos caminan recatadamente al más puro estilo de los años cincuenta, la subdirectora del museo, Carmen Blair, brindará comentarios que describen los atuendos, así como una descripción general de lo que estaba sucediendo en el condado de San Mateo durante ese período de tiempo.
«En toda la península, desde Daly City hasta Redwood City, las casas estilo rancho se extendían hacia las colinas y hacia la bahía. Se crearon vecindarios completos», dijo Mitch Postel, presidente de la Asociación Histórica del Condado de San Mateo.
«Las Damas que almorzaban que vivían en las casas del rancho se ponían guantes blancos y perlas para reunirse en el centro, conduciendo grandes y viejos devoradores de gasolina, camionetas, autos con aletas, faros dobles y asientos de cubo», señaló Postel. «Los accesorios de los autos fueron tan meticulosos como los de las mujeres».
Seis jóvenes voluntarios modelarán alrededor de 20 atuendos retro en el desfile de moda, dijo Postel. El evento tendrá lugar en una sala utilizada para presentaciones en vivo en el museo, que se encuentra en el antiguo Palacio de Justicia del Condado de San Mateo de 1910.
Los atuendos provendrán de ropa vintage perteneciente al museo.
«Tenemos dos colecciones aquí para vestuario. Una está protegida y nunca la usaríamos para desfiles de moda, son piezas históricas importantes para la historia del condado de San Mateo», subrayó Postel.
La ropa protegida incluye un atuendo de lacayo de antaño. «Nunca permitiríamos que ese atuendo se use para eventos públicos como este. Hay un montón de desgaste para los textiles cuando se usan de esa manera», destacó.
La estrella de telerrealidad Kim Kardashian se enteró de eso por las malas después de usar un vestido ceñido de color nude que anteriormente usó Marilyn Monroe, lo que provocó furor público en mayo de 2022 cuando Kardashian lo usó en la Met Gala.
«Eso es exactamente lo que evitamos al tener dos colecciones», precisó Postel.
Los atuendos que se exhibirán en el desfile de modas del sábado se extraerán de la segunda colección, conocida como la Colección Millie: prendas de varias épocas que no tienen una conexión directa con la historia del condado de San Mateo.
El espectáculo comenzará a la 13:00 horas en el museo ubicado en el 2200 Broadway en Redwood City. El evento es gratuito con la entrada al museo, que cuesta 6 dólares para adultos, 4 dólares para personas mayores y estudiantes y gratis para niños menores de cinco años.
Apenas unos días después de que una importante diócesis católica del Área de la Bahía se declarara en bancarrota frente a cientos de posibles demandas por abuso sexual, la Diócesis de Oakland anunció que está considerando seriamente hacer lo mismo.
En una carta a los feligreses que también se envió a los medios de comunicación este jueves, el obispo Michael Barber dijo que «está considerando seriamente la posibilidad de declararse en bancarrota del Capítulo 11».
La carta de Barber llega solo tres días después de que la Diócesis de Santa Rosa se declarara en bancarrota del Capítulo 11 ante más de 200 posibles demandas por abuso sexual.
En ambos casos, los líderes de la iglesia citan una ley estatal que abrió una ventana de tres años que permite que las demandas por abuso sexual infantil avancen a pesar de las normas de prescripción que habían impedido demandas anteriores.
«Desde el cierre de la ventana de presentación el 31 de diciembre de 2022, se nos ha informado que puede haber aproximadamente 330 demandas presentadas contra nuestra diócesis», señaló Barber.
«Después de mucha oración y consejos bien pensados, creo que la bancarrota puede proporcionar una forma de apoyar a todos los sobrevivientes en su viaje hacia la curación de una manera equitativa e integral», destacó Barber. «También permitirá a la diócesis reorganizar nuestros asuntos financieros para que podamos continuar cumpliendo la sagrada misión que Cristo y la Iglesia nos han encomendado».
En una sección de preguntas frecuentes en el sitio web de la diócesis, los líderes de la iglesia dijeron que la posible decisión de declararse en bancarrota no tiene la intención de minimizar sus responsabilidades con los sobrevivientes de abuso sexual.
El proceso del Capítulo 11 es transparente y «permite a todos los reclamantes un acceso equitativo y una participación equitativa en los activos disponibles para pagar las reclamaciones», al mismo tiempo que permite que la iglesia continúe con su «misión como Iglesia Católica en los condados de Alameda y Contra Costa», según el sitio web.
La iglesia tiene «reservas de efectivo limitadas», pero el seguro y la posible venta de activos infrautilizados también podrían ayudar a pagar algunos de los reclamos, según el sitio web.
Un abogado de una firma que representa a casi 100 personas con reclamos de abuso sexual contra la Diócesis de Oakland dijo que la posible declaración de bancarrota es una estrategia para eludir la total transparencia y responsabilidad.
«Desafortunadamente, es otra puñalada para ocultar información sobre los perpetradores y los crímenes cometidos por y a través de la iglesia, así como sus bienes e información financiera, en beneficio de la iglesia a expensas de aquellos que han sido gravemente dañados cuando eran niños», subrayó Jennifer Stein de Jeff Anderson and Associates.
Stein dijo que es una táctica que han utilizado más de 20 diócesis en todo el país porque, en parte, cambia el enfoque legal lejos de los hechos de los casos y lo pone en la capacidad de la iglesia para mantenerse a flote financieramente.
Stein dijo que espera ver más declaraciones de quiebra de este tipo en un futuro próximo.
«Estas son instituciones que han agraviado a los niños durante décadas y han puesto sus propios intereses y sus propias finanzas por encima de la seguridad de los niños una y otra vez», dijo.
Un portavoz de la diócesis dijo que aún no hay un cronograma sobre cuándo se tomará una decisión sobre la declaración de bancarrota.
El Departamento de Policía de Oakland informó el jueves que ha visto un aumento en los robos residenciales donde los sospechosos involucrados son ladrones disfrazados de repartidores Amazon.
La policía dijo que se han reportado varios casos en los que presuntos ladrones, vestidos con chalecos de conductor de entrega de Amazon, se acercan a una residencia y tocan el timbre para determinar si la residencia está ocupada o no.
Luego, los sospechosos ingresan a la fuerza a la casa, toman varios artículos y se van en un vehículo.
La policía está investigando estos robos y cualquier persona que tenga información sobre ellos debe llamar al (510) 238-3951.
For Bay Area residents, it hasn't been easy during the seemingly endless cascade of storms that began late last year. With more rain in the forecast for the Bay Area, officials are urging people to stay alert and prepare for all kinds of things that could go wrong.
Natural disasters, particularly weather-related disasters, are becoming more frequent and more costly, both in terms of lives and losses. Extreme heat is now one of the deadliest types of weather incidents in the United States, causing more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes or floods.
The best time to prepare for any potential disaster is now, not until the lights go out or emergency managers issue evacuation orders, San Mateo County officials said.
In response, authorities have issued a guide to key local information that could help you and your family overcome an emergency, whether floods, fires, tsunamis, earthquakes or other challenges.
Regístrese para recibir alertas de emergencia
Local emergency officials say the best first step you can take is to sign up for SMC Alert, una herramienta de mensajería que envía información de emergencia concisa y procesable a correos electrónicos, teléfonos celulares y otros dispositivos y teléfonos fijos.
La alerta es totalmente gratuita y está disponible en todas las ciudades y pueblos del condado de San Mateo.
MyShake está catalogado por el estado como «el primer sistema de advertencia estatal disponible públicamente en el país que podría dar a los residentes de California unos segundos cruciales para ponerse a resguardo antes de que se inicie un temblor». MyShake está disponible en las tiendas Apple App and Google play.
La Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias ‒FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés‒ ofrece una aplicación que le permite recibir alertas meteorológicas en tiempo real, enviar notificaciones a sus seres queridos, ubicar refugios de emergencia en su área y más.
stay connected
Nueve de cada 10 residentes del condado de San Mateo viven en una de las 20 ciudades. Muchos tienen sus propios sistemas de alerta y canales de redes sociales. Regístrese en el sitio web de su ciudad ‒encuentre una lista aquí‒ y siga a su gobierno local, policía y departamentos de bomberos en las redes sociales, que a menudo son los primeros en hacer sonar la alarma sobre una emergencia cerca de usted.
Los administradores de emergencias han dividido la península en más de 300 zonas en un mapa en línea disponible públicamente respaldado por Zonehaven, una empresa con sede en California bajo contrato con el condado de San Mateo.
A cada zona se le asigna un código corto. Todos los residentes pueden ingresar una dirección para encontrar your zone.
En caso de emergencia, los primeros en responder emitirán órdenes de evacuación u otras órdenes y avisos según las zonas. Esta información se difundirá a través de los medios de comunicación, redes sociales como Twitter, notificaciones de alerta de emergencia y otras plataformas.
Advice: Considere empacar un mapa de papel en su automóvil o bolso de mano. ¿Por qué un mapa de papel en estos días de GPS y sistemas de navegación? Simplemente porque muchos de nosotros tendríamos problemas para llegar a un refugio, hospital o punto de encuentro en un vecindario o ciudad desconocidos sin un teléfono encendido o un GPS a bordo, especialmente de noche.
Cortes de energía
Para mantenerse actualizado sobre cortes de energía y posibles apagones durante la temporada de incendios, consulte el Pacific Gas & Electric outage map, que sirve a la mayor parte del norte de California. También puede encontrar dónde sign up to receive your alerts.
Condición de carreteras
511.org proporciona información actualizada sobre las condiciones de las carreteras y los cierres.
Caltrans offers a search tool of the current conditions in the california highways. También puede llamar al 1-800-427-7623 para conocer las condiciones actuales de la carretera.
Haga un kit de emergencia para el hogar, el trabajo y su automóvil o viaje diario
The website ready.gov ofrece numerosas listas de verificación sobre preparación y consejos sobre qué empacar en una bolsa de viaje para cualquier tipo de emergencia. Y lo que es igual de importante, todos deben preparar un kit de estancia con los elementos esenciales que puedan necesitar para usted y su familia si se quedan sin electricidad, agua o calefacción.
Culture and language are among the barriers that prevent many Asian-American teens from speaking openly about dating violence with their parents.
When Angela Kim fell in love for the first time at 16, teenage dating violence was the last thing on her mind. Her boyfriend showered her with love, and she was smitten with their whirlwind romance.
But then, she recalls, things suddenly began to change: name-calling, manipulation tactics and eventually physical violence escalated into a three-year abusive relationship.
“All these compliments started turning into insults. And all the great times we had together were now being overshadowed by his violent outbursts of anger,” she recalls. “The signs of abuse, the signs that my relationship was not healthy, were pretty quick to surface in the relationship.”
Kim is not alone, nor are her experiences unique. According to Youth.gov, 69.5 percent of women and 54 percent of men reported experiencing intimate partner violence before age 24. As many as 76 percent of teens reported experiencing emotional and psychological abuse in relationships.
Today, Kim is turning her “pain into passion,” devoting her professional life to domestic violence prevention work at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and other community organizations. Many people she speaks to, she says, don’t understand the nature of abuse and how abusers can keep victims under their control.
“I’ve heard questions like, ‘How do you stay with someone who hurts you like that? ’” she says. “And my answer has always been that an abuser is incredibly good at changing your logic to the point where your reality is no longer your own.”
According to activists, the extensive use of social media among teenagers creates unrealistic images of what a “perfect” romance is and enables some manipulation tactics, such as forcing the victim to unfollow all other people of the same gender. Pop culture frequently romanticises violence in films such as 365 Days.
Depictions of domestic violence are limited, often to white adult women suffering physical abuse, preventing teens from recognizing signs of abuse in their own lives. And most schools have minimal courses that teach students red and green flags in relationships, signs of abuse, and consent.
"There's a reason coercion, intimidation and degradation work together... in an abusive relationship."
AsAmNews spoke with advocates and experts, including those on an Ethnic Media Services panel with youth activists, to understand teen dating violence in the Asian American community, its signs, and how to ultimately prevent it.
These signs of abusive relationships are often not discussed in families or taught to youth, preventing victims from recognizing that their relationship is abusive. And many other factors affect the prevalence of dating violence specifically in teens.
The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened these existing problems. Armaan Sharma, a student activist with Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments (SAVE), observed that quarantine and isolation caused significant increases in mental health issues and social media use among teens, changing the ways in which dating violence manifests.
“Just as COVID has evolved with all its new variants, so has teen dating violence,” she says.
"We are fighting for a vaccine, so we should be fighting for more prevention."
Open and respectful dialogue about dating and relationships between parents and teens is key to keeping kids safe in their relationships, says Armaan Sharma.
Kim’s abuser, she said, used common abusive manipulation tactics to keep her trapped in the relationship. These included “love bombing,” or showering the victim with overwhelming amounts of affection; controlling the victim through violence, anger and jealousy; monopolizing the victim’s time, preventing them from having non-romantic relationships with others; or calling them names.
The result is a complete collapse of the victim's self-esteem, self-worth and confidence.
"What people don't understand is that manipulation tactics work. There's a reason coercion, intimidation and degradation go together... in an abusive relationship," she says.
These tactics culminate in a “domestic violence cycle” that often keeps victims trapped in abusive relationships, she says. The cycle begins with a tension-building phrase, where the victim feels like they are walking on eggshells to avoid angering the abuser.
But inevitably a violent incident happens. Afterwards, however, the abuser will apologize and reconcile with the victim. This honeymoon phrase reminds the victim why they fell in love with the abuser; the abuser will also show remorse and responsibility, such as giving gifts or promising to go to therapy. Instead, however, the cycle repeats itself.
As a result, the victim will remain with the abuser, convinced that the violent incident was a one-time event. And even if the victim decides to leave, Kim says, she will be in danger, as the abuser will try to maintain the relationship.
“Parents… need to understand that dating is something that could potentially be unavoidable.”
Asian American teens face additional barriers to opening up discussions about dating, consent, and intimacy.
Many Asian American teens who are children of immigrants may find it especially difficult to report dating violence. They may feel especially pressured to succeed and show the positive parts of their lives. The problems their parents faced when coming to the United States seem to “overwhelm” their own relationship issues.
Immigrant parents may also be unfamiliar with where to report teen dating violence when it occurs. And language differences can make it difficult for teens to even explain what's happening.
“How do you translate terms like domestic violence or love bombing or gaslighting into this language? It’s difficult,” Kim says. “It’s already such a sensitive topic, and you don’t know how your parents are going to react.”
This lack of discussion is also prevalent among cultures with dating taboos, such as the South Asian community, Sharma notes. He notes that while Indian parents in the US are generally more open to dating, there is still a “lack of dialogue” about relationships and dating violence among teens.
“Parents, especially South Asian parents, need to understand that dating is something that could potentially be unavoidable,” Sharma said. “That’s where relationship education and team dating violence comes in, because I’m sure parents would rather have… children in safe relationships rather than unsafe relationships.”
The broader environment of anti-Asian racism also plays a significant factor. East and Southeast Asian women, for example, are often hyper-fetishized and seen as submissive to violence and abuse.
However, the foundations for teen dating violence and abuse are also laid within the home. Many Asian elders do not display intimacy or discuss romantic relationships at all. But Kim notes that domestic violence, especially against women, is normalized and little discussed. And when abusive tactics are seen as a natural part of romantic relationships, they can be especially difficult to unlearn.
"Many women who grow up seeing their own mothers abused think it's normal because they never go away," Kim said.
“So when you’re experiencing something — like an abusive relationship — you think, ‘This must be normal. This is what love is. This is what marriage is, what a relationship is.’ And a lot of the responsibility to undo the damage … falls on women.”
All of those factors make it difficult to start essential conversations about intimate partner violence. Kim says the Asian-American community is one of the hardest for her to engage in conversations with. A central reason was judgment: When she shared her story, for example, it was often used as gossip or as an example of why children should avoid relationships or sex before marriage altogether.
“Instead of treating my story with compassion and care, my story was this example of why not to engage in various behaviors,” she recalls.
«Teen dating violence takes over a town. It is not the teenager's burden to bear.»
Megan Tanahashi, communications director for the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, says teens understand their peers' experiences better than adults, making them excellent advocates for violence prevention.
Advocates say the key to combating teen dating violence is prevention.
Parents play a critical role in intimate partner violence prevention efforts. Kim recommends that parents begin teaching children about healthy boundaries and consent as early as they can. Middle school is the ideal age to begin conversations about relationships and intimacy. Doing so ensures that teens feel comfortable talking to their parents about any harm they experience.
However, Kim emphasizes, parents are not the only trusted adults who can intervene in cases of teen dating violence.
"It's not just about parents, but also about other adults, educators, teachers, relatives, football coaches: all these people have a very important role to play because teenage dating violence takes over a village. It's not the teenager's burden to bear."
Educators and schools are key to teaching young people about healthy and abusive relationships. But current curricula rarely cover these skills. Sharma recalls that only one class at her high school covered relationships; sex education classes typically focus on sexually transmitted diseases and related topics. As a result, young people may not be able to recognize signs of abusive relationships in themselves or their peers.
“Relationships are relevant to every person. I couldn’t say the same about calculus,” Sharma says. “So while teaching about relationships may not fall into conventional schooling norms in the United States, let alone anywhere else, those norms need to change.”
Meanwhile, workshops like the “Building Healthy Relationships” training that Kim teaches in schools bridge that gap. “Building Healthy Relationships” covers red and green flags in relationships and teaches teens to recognize healthy and unhealthy behaviors. This allows them to not only recognize those flags in their own lives, but also help their friends and peers.
A key part of the training, Kim says, is learning about consent and boundaries. Many teens don’t know that consent still exists, even if they’re in a relationship. As a result, they may feel pressured to do things they’re not comfortable with. But because consent isn’t taught in schools, Kim says, many teens she worked with didn’t learn these important facts until they attended the training.
“There’s this ideology where a lot of teenagers believe that if you’re in a relationship, you have a right to the other person’s body. And what they don’t realize is that even in a relationship, you own your own body,” she says. “Consent doesn’t just come freely.”
Education is not only important to prevent teens from entering into violent relationships, but also to prevent abusers from learning violent behaviors in the first place. Teen dating violence is often framed as a “cycle of violence” in which hurt people hurt other people in turn. But Kim says the rhetoric detracts from the accountability of abusers and the real causes of violent behavior.
According to her, a more accurate phrase is: "Violence is learned."
“They see their parents being abusive, they see peers bullying each other, they see depictions of violence or domestic violence in the media… and they learn that,” she adds. “And they may not see a lot of repercussions… so they take those behaviors and replicate that violence, that cycle, on other people in their lives.”
The causes of teen dating violence are multifaceted, as are the ways to prevent it. In addition to education, Sharma emphasizes the importance of investing in mental health care and funding targeted programs, especially in disadvantaged communities. However, she also notes that it is critical for everyone — not just youth, women, or people who identify as LGBT who are disproportionately affected by dating violence — to be involved in prevention efforts.
“We can’t just sit back and watch our youth get hurt by these platforms and say, ‘Oh well, there’s nothing we can do about it now,’” she says. “No, there literally is. It’s called prevention.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse or intimate partner violence, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233, or by texting “START” to 88788. The Hotline also offers education and support for young people ages 13-26. They can be reached via live chat at www.loveisrespect.org, by phone at 1-866-331-9474, or by texting LOVEIS to 22522.
This article was originally published by AsAmNews.
This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.
