During the first two years in which the company has been operating, it has Stop AAPI Hate Information CenterIn a recent report by the organization, people across the country have reported 11,467 incidents of hate against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, but that number is only "the tip of the iceberg," according to a recent report by the organization.
"[This figure] is just the tip of the iceberg. Our nationally representative survey conducted in collaboration with Edelman Data & Intelligence found that one in five Asian Americans and one in five Pacific Islanders will experience a hate incident in 2020 or 2021," the paper details.
In February and March 2020, AAPI communities across the country experienced an increase in harassment, intimidation and other acts of hate, while the media cited a growing number of "horrific" attacks targeting this population group, the text highlights.
And, he points out, a large number of these incidents employed anti-China rhetoric that blamed AAPI communities for the emerging COVID-19 pandemic.
In response, Chinese for Affirmative Action, the AAPI Equity Alliance - formerly the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council - and the Department of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University launched the Stop AAPI Hate information center on March 19, 2020.
In the first week, the organization received more than 600 reports from all over the country, and by the end of the month there were already 1,500.
Sadly, two years later, members of the AAPI community across the country continue to experience hatred at alarming levels.
"Every day we receive stories of slurs, rejections, physical violence and other forms of discrimination against the AAPI community. The patterns are consistent: these terrible incidents occur when people are trying to go about their daily lives: buying groceries, riding public transportation, or taking their children to school."
Collectively, the voices of the individuals who have reported nearly 11,500 incidents over the past two years have become a powerful tool for the organization, not only because their stories have brought national attention to hatred against the AAPI community, but the details provided have facilitated a more nuanced understanding of what the type of hatred toward that population group looks like.
"We now know that most hate incidents, while harmful and traumatic, do not meet the legal definition of a crime and therefore require solutions that go beyond law enforcement," the study stresses.
"Each individual traumatic incident reported to Stop AAPI Hate reminds us of the urgent need to address systemic racism; our collective voice advocating for solutions is how we will do that," he specifies.
Although they cause significant fear and trauma, most hate incidents reported to Stop AAPI Hate are not hate crimes and would not be investigated or prosecuted as such.
Alarm figures
According to the organization, one in six - 17 percent - of the incidents involved physical violence, as well as not one in six - 16 percent - involving avoidance or shunning.
In addition, more than one in nine - 12 percent - of the incidents involved possible civil rights violations, such as discrimination in a business or workplace.
Two out of five incidents took place in public spaces, such as a street, sidewalk, parkway, parkway, hiking trail or beach; and more than one in four - 27 percent - took place in businesses, such as grocery stores, pharmacies or department stores.
Also, one in ten - 10 percent - of incidents occurred online; and one in ten occurred on public transportation.
AAPI individuals who are also female, non-binary or LGBTQIA+ experience hate incidents that target them because of their multiple identities.
Hatred against AAPIs has led to increased fear, according to a 2021 national survey of this community, which found that only half - 49 percent - felt safe going outside; while two out of three - 65 percent - were concerned about the safety of family members and the elderly.
On the other hand, one in three - 32 percent - parents were concerned about their child being a victim of anti-AAPI hate or discrimination in unsupervised spaces and/or on the way to school.
Among Asian Americans who experienced a hate incident reported to Stop AAPI Hate, nearly all - 95 percent - felt that the United States was more dangerous for them.
Those over 60 are especially vulnerable to fear, as nearly all - 98 percent - of those who experienced hate incidents believed that the United States has become more physically dangerous for Asian Americans.
Hate has had a devastating impact on mental health. Among Asian Americans who experienced a hate incident reported to Stop AAPI Hate, nearly half - 49 percent - reported depression or anxiety.
Nearly three-quarters - 72 percent - named discrimination against them as their greatest source of stress, even ahead of their health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Stop AAPI Hate, the most effective solutions to address anti-community hate are education, community-based solution, civil rights legislation and enforcement, increased law enforcement, more leaders reporting hate or discrimination against AAPIs, more and greater ways to report hate or discrimination, solidarity with other ethnic and racial groups, and more AAPIs in civic and leadership roles
"Our data is just the starting point. By connecting our data to capacity building, policy advocacy and narrative change, we are building a path from the experience of anti-AAPI hate to empowerment and healing. At the community level, we envision our data sparking a conversation to re-imagine what safety and well-being means beyond law enforcement," they detailed.
Finally, the organization called on local, state and national policy makers, the media and others with power to be accountable and help understand that addressing hatred against AAPI communities goes beyond law enforcement and requires long-term structural changes.
"Two years into our journey, our work is far from over. We will continue to harness the power of our collective data to promote equity, justice and power, dismantle systemic racism and build a more just society. dismantle systemic racism and build a multiracial movement to end hatred against AAPIs," he concluded.
This publication was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.
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