Foreword

The Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence is a national network of advocates; community members; professionals from health, mental health, law, education, and social services; survivors; scholars; researchers; and activists from public policy, community organizations, youth programs, immigrants' rights networks, communities of color, women's groups, queer communities, and other social justice organizations.  Our goals include:

• Raising awareness in Asian & Pacific Islander communities about the corrosive effects of domestic violence on individual, familial, and community strength.
• Addressing the root causes of violence, the various forms of violence used, the sustained devaluation of women, the impunity of abusers, and community complicity.
• Organizing cultural transformation by emphasizing community accountability and establishing new social norms.
• Expanding leadership and expertise within Asian & Pacific Islander communities about prevention, intervention, advocacy and research.
• Promoting culturally relevant programming, research, and advocacy by identifying promising practices.
• Formulating national policies that prompt initiatives at local and state levels.
• Strengthening the Asian & Pacific Islander anti-violence movement by forging links with other communities of color and social justice organizations.

The Institute has embarked on several projects and documenting the strategies of Asian & Pacific Islander advocacy is one of them.  This is our first report. Rather than a straightforward documentation of the best practices of API agencies and programs, we have presented recurring themes; engaged in a critique of existing standardized models; and examined the assumptions behind the interventions designed by API advocates.

This report is not meant to be conclusive. It should be read as an exploration of ideas and questions. The views of individual interviewees should not be considered as endorsements by the Institute of the practices they describe.

We hope you can use the report for discussions inside and outside your agencies. Let us know your comments and questions; we are eager to know what you think.

Firoza Chic Dabby, Director
Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence
942 Market Street #200, San Francisco CA 94102 apidvinstitute@apiahf.org

Acknowledgements

This project is the result of many years of experience of Asian and Pacific Islander women confronting violence against women in their communities.  In particular, the Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence wishes to acknowledge discussions among women who have participated in the Interventions/Services Working Group of the Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence including Aparna Bhattacharyya, Emma Catague, Chic Dabby, Trishala Deb, Val Kalei Kanuha, Nanette Kaiwii, Mimi Kim, and Sujata Warrier.

The thoughts and visions of many of these women are reflected in the interviews conducted for this project.  In addition, the Institute thanks additional interviewees who contributed their honest appraisal of the successes of their work as well as the limitations and who offered visions for the future.  The women interviewed include Aparna Bhattacharyya, Emma Catague, Chic Dabby, Quynh Dang, Trishala Deb, Pat Eng, Val Kalei Kanuha, Susun Kim, Bo Thao, and Sujata Warrier.

Mimi Kim conceptualized this project and authored this report.  The Institute acknowledges her tremendous contribution to our work and our collective thinking. 

MIMI KIM

Mimi Kim has been active in the anti-violence against women movement since 1985.  She worked at Asian Women's Shelter as coordinator of the Multilingual Access Model Program from 1991 to 2002.  She is currently a steering committee member of Incite! Women of Color Against Violence, a national group representing issues relevant to women of color fighting against multiple forms of violence, and the Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence.  She is also co-founding member of Shimtuh and Korean American Women in Need (KAN-WIN), domestic violence programs for Korean American women and children in Oakland and Chicago, respectively.  Other activities include drumming with Jamaesori, a Korean women's drumming group in Oakland.