By Skye Ibarra / March 30, 2022
Asian-American women in New York suffering from the abuse and trauma brought by Asian hate and crime amidst the fight against COVID-19.
An interview conducted by CNN sheds light on what Asian-American women citizens are going through with the ongoing global issue of Asian Hate. The interview has shown how these women would react to the discrimination and abuse brought by the unprovoked hate. Three women shared their narratives and reactions when they experienced the brutality of this controversy.
“Everyone is like “Spring is here.”… Part of me is happy, and part of me is so anxious to be shedding these layers, and letting my features show.” – Amanda Shi.
“Even having your mask on or other clothing on… I was targeted, a woman came towards me saying, “You Asian B*tch, I’ll f*cking kill you! I’ll chop your head off.” She kept saying it as she was approaching me.” – Anne Kim.
“I was walking in Brooklyn and then suddenly these two men, one of them punched me. They started screaming at me made up Asian words.” – Carolyn Kang.
Aside from their reported abuse and anxieties, these women along with the U.S. representative for New York’s 6th congressional district also shared their sentiments and take on the discrimination.
“I try not to go anywhere alone… I’m scared that something might happen to me. We are equally, if not more afraid of things that might happen to the most vulnerable in our community— Our grandmothers and mothers. These are the folks that have come to this country and sacrificed so much and now they are being attacked and killed, “ shared Grace Meng, New York’s 6th congressional district.
“It’s the stereotype around Asian women that makes us more hunted. We’re supposed to be submissive, we’re obedient and there’s like hypersexualization around us as well.” – Amanda Shi.
Additionally, according to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization that tracks incidents under Asian-America Hate, ⅔ of the reports came from women from March 2020 to December 2021. Additionally, Sung Yeon Choimorrow, the executive director for the National Asian Pacific Women’s Forum, over 74% of the respondents from the survey claimed that they have experienced a kind of discrimination or harassment over the past 12 months.
Moreover, there have also been previous headlines that were reported under Asian hate and crime. Last March 12, 2022, it was reported that a 67-year-old Asian woman was beaten and punched more than 125 times. Then mourning the victims of the Asian women killed on a shooting spree as a hate crime in Atlanta spas back on March 16, 2021.
With the ongoing fight against Asian hate and discrimination, these reports aren’t even half of the poll of what the Asian community goes through on a daily basis, especially during the global pandemic.