Stop AAPI Hate,??? ?? a national coalition aimed at addressing anti-Asian American discrimination, on May 6 released new data indicating that it received a total of 6,603 reports of hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) across the U.S. between March 19, 2020 and March 31, 2021.?
The new reports received over the past month include reports of incidents that took place in 2020, as well as those that have taken place throughout 2021. Overall, out of the 6,603 hate incident reports included in this report, 4,193 of the hate incidents occurred in 2020, and 2,410 of the hate incidents occurred in 2021.?
The steep rise in reporting corresponds to increased national attention to anti-Asian hate, which has led to more and more Asian Americans becoming aware of the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center and other resources, as well as the importance of reporting. This rise in reporting also corresponds to the horrific attacks on Asian Americans around the country, including the murder of six Asian American women in Georgia and a number of incidents where Asian Americans have been hospitalized after violence.
“Racism against Asian Americans is systemic and longstanding,” said Russell Jeung, Ph.D., co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University. “The more we draw attention to anti-Asian hate, the more Asian Americans know they have a place to report what they’re experiencing, and the more we can demonstrate the extent of the problem and advocate for meaningful solutions.”?
“We know that to combat structural racism, we need to deploy a more holistic approach,” said Cynthia Choi, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action. “We can find a path forward if we invest in community-based organizations at the forefront of responding to discrimination and a public safety system that is structured to not only support survivors of violence but also prevent further violence.”
“This AAPI Heritage Month, we are mourning those who have been taken from us and are grappling with our own fears,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and executive director of Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council. “Despite the heart-wrenching year we have experienced, our community has shown unity, strength and resilience. We honor and celebrate the powerful activism AAPIs and our allies have demonstrated.“
Examining the totality of incidents received since Stop AAPI Hate began tracking on March 19, 2020, the data indicates:?
? Verbal harassment (65.2%) and shunning (18.1%) — i.e., the deliberate avoidance of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders — continue to make up the two largest proportions of the total incidents reported.
? Hate incidents reported by women make up 64.8% of all reports.
??Youths (0 to 17 years old) report 11.0% of incidents and seniors (60 years old and older) report 6.6% of the total incidents.
??Chinese individuals have reported more hate incidents (43.7%) than other race or ethnic groups, followed by Koreans (16.6%), Filipinx (8.8%) and Vietnamese (8.3%).
While Stop AAPI Hate has received more incident reports, these 6,603 hate incidents likely represent only a fraction of those experienced by the AAPI community. A recent study indicates that, since the pandemic began, 45% of the Asian American adults surveyed experienced at least one incident tied to their racial or ethnic background.
Stop AAPI Hate received reports of incidents from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They include the following first-hand accounts:?
“I was at the park with a friend and our young children. A large man was jogging by, lunged off the path toward me and yelled ‘F