Report: 61% Of Asian Americans Experience Rising Hate, Slurs, Or Abuse In Past 12 Months

A recent report published by the Asian American Foundation revealed a significant difference between how hate towards Asian Americans is perceived by the general public and the reality experienced by the community. The STAATUS Index 2024 was utilized to examine the perceptions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) in the US, with 6,272 participants from across the country included in the survey, as reported by Hindustan Times.

"Since its debut in 2021, the STAATUS Index has uncovered hidden perceptions and stereotypes that have given rise to racism against AANHPIs throughout our long history in the US and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unless these deeply rooted views are understood and continued to be struggled against, they will persist and threaten the wellbeing of AANHPIs when the next crisis emerges," stated Dr. Paul Watanabe, AAC Chair.

Here's What We Understood:

The study revealed that only one-third of Americans believe that hate towards Asian Americans has increased. However, it was found by the AANHPI community that several incidents of violence and discrimination have occurred. In the last 12 months, 32% of Asian Americans have reported being called a slur, and 29% have experienced verbal harassment or abuse.

The numbers are even higher for subgroups like Southeast Asian Americans. Additionally, a significant number of Asian Americans fear becoming victims of physical attacks (41%) or discrimination (59%) due to their race, ethnicity, or religion. It was also discovered by the study that feelings of belonging and acceptance among Asian Americans are not strong, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Rising doubts about Asian Americans' loyalty to the United States were also revealed. The survey further discovered that one in three Asian Americans reported being "the subject of hate this past year." Three ideas to decrease racism were proposed by the study, including teaching the history of Asian Americans in K-12 schools and colleges.

The study further emphasized the importance of increasing the visibility of Asian Americans in American society, as well as ensuring there is more opportunity for people to interact with Asian Americans.