New Survey Reveals that Nearly 2 in 5 AANHPI Seattle Residents Have Been the Victim of an Anti-Asian Incident in the Past 12 months - Nearly 3 in 5 Report Feeling Unsafe in Public Settings

Media Contact: press@taaf.org 

SEATTLE, WA - (September 23, 2024)  - The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today released findings from AANHPI Perspectives: Seattle Safety Study, a survey of 1,000 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander adults residing in the Seattle metropolitan area about their public safety concerns and experiences. Collected by BSP Research, the survey’s findings spotlight that public safety and racialized attacks are a major problem for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) in Seattle. 

Seattle is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the United States with a population of more than 4 million people, with Asian Americans making up 15% of the population and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders making up an additional 1%. Despite comprising a significant portion of the Seattle population, the findings of this study show that the AANHPI community still faces concerning challenges to their safety, with nearly 1 in 3 AANHPIs saying they personally feared being attacked, and 38% of AANHPIs saying they personally experienced an anti-Asian incident in the last 12 months. 30% of respondents report verbal attacks, 24% were harassed or threatened, and 20% were physically attacked.

Even more participants (50%) said that they had witnessed an anti-Asian incident, with 37% witnessing racialized insults, 33% witnessing harassment or threatening behavior, and 25% witnessing a physical attack or assault.

Further complicating the issue, only 46% of those who experienced an incident discussed it with anyone. Of those who did talk about their experience, only 34% reported to local police, 28% reported to a community-based organization, and 25% reported to another form of law enforcement. This suggests that a massive number of incidents are unreported and untracked in any official capacity, leading to a gap in critical data that civic leaders could potentially use to improve public safety conditions.

When asked about public safety, 25% of respondents said that they have felt unsafe taking public transit due to their race or ethnicity; 21% had felt unsafe at the local market, 17% had felt unsafe in their workplace, and 16% had felt unsafe in their own neighborhood. When asked what would make respondents feel more safe in public spaces, the top answer was better city infrastructure (44%).

Moreover, the fear of being the victim of violence or harassment has led 72% of respondents to change their day-to-day behavior. 40% of participants avoid going out late at night, 28% avoid walking in certain neighborhoods, 26% avoid groups of strangers, 22% avoid public transit, and another 22% avoid speaking their native tongue in public.  

“The findings from this study prove that the anti-Asian rhetoric and stereotypes we’ve seen perpetuated nationally are having dire consequences at the community level,” said Norman Chen, CEO, The Asian American Foundation. “It is disheartening to see that in a city as teeming with diversity as Seattle, AANHPI’s residents are still living in fear of activities as simple as buying groceries or going to work. We’re hopeful that these findings will inspire local leaders to invest in infrastructure and community-based organizations to help bring a greater sense of safety, belonging, and prosperity to the Seattle AANHPI community.” 

While results of the study present a sobering reminder of the persistence of anti-Asian hate, Seattle AANHPIs are clear on resources they feel would help to alleviate the issue. 76% of respondents call for better relations with law enforcement, while others point to mental health health services (74%), legal services (74%), and senior services (72%) as necessary resources for the community. 72% would like to see an increase in youth activities, such as programs in AAPI history, and 68% would like to see increased community engagement activities, including tabling events and community advocacy days.

“A network of community organizations is working together to increase safety and resilience in our region. Survivors who experience a hate or bias incident can turn to a dedicated team who can support them in the languages they speak,” said Michael Itti, executive director of CISC, an organization that offers social services for immigrants and their families throughout King County. “To increase safety for all, we encourage community members to share this resource with their networks and reach out to us to learn about tools like bystander intervention training.”

‍

Seattle residents who would like to report incidents of physical assault, verbal harassment, denial of service, or other forms of discrimination can reach out to the below hotlines for in-language support. Please note, these are NOT emergency services; those who are in immediate danger should call 911: 

Chinese/English: (206) 886-2667

Vietnamese/English: (206) 294-9053

Korean/English: (425) 381-2553

Samoan /English: (206) 653-1936

Fijian/English: (206) 653-1936

Tagalog/English: (206) 722-9372

‍

Key findings and methodology of the survey are listed below. The complete report can be found at Seattle Safety Study. 

KEY FINDINGS

Of the issues affecting AANHPIs in Seattle, Public Safety is among the most critical 

• 54% of AANHPIs in Seattle said that “public safety” was either a “major problem” or “somewhat of a problem” that needed to be addressed.
• Nearly 1 in 3 AANHPIs in Seattle said they personally feared being attacked
• Areas where AANHPI felt unsafe include:some text
  • Public Transit - 25%
  • Local Markets - 21%
  • The Workplace - 17%
  • In their own Neighborhoods - 16%
• Women were significantly more likely to see public safety to be a problem (59%) than men (48%). They were also more likely to see negative treatment of AANHPIs as a problem (52%) than men (36%). 
• Public safety concern among AANHPIs varies slightly by county:some text
  • Snohomish County -  62% are concerned
  • King County - 54% are concerned
  • Pierce County - 48% are concerned
• Additional issues that affect AANHPIs in Seattle includesome text
  • Treatment of AANHPIs in general - 45%
  • Inclusion in city government - 44%
  • Treatment of their particular ethnic group - 43%
  • Opportunities for AANHPIs more broadly - 42%

Rates of experiencing or witnessing anti-Asian incidents indicate a public safety crisis 

• Almost 2 in 5 (38%) AANHPI residents have been the victim of an anti-Asian incident in the past 12 months
• Among respondents:some text
  • 30% received verbal insults or name calling
  • 24% were harassed or threatened
  • 20% were physically attacked
• Women were slightly more likely to have experienced such incidents (40%) than men (35%)
• Geographically, rates of experiencing anti-Asian incidents were higher among AANHPIs living in the International District (47%) than those living in other parts of Seattle (33%)
• Half of the participants (50%) reported that they had witnessed an anti-Asian  incident
• Among respondents:some text
  • 37% witnessed someone being insulted or called names
  • 33% witnessed someone being harassed or threatened
  • 25% witnessed a physical attack or assault 
• Geographically, rates of witnessing anti-Asian incidents were slightly higher among those in the International District (55%) than those living outside the International District (47%).

Anti-Asian incidents are severely underreported

• Only 46% of survey participants who experienced an anti-Asian incident said they reported it to anyone at all; even less reported to law enforcement or community-based organizations who track incidents
• 40% of AANHPIs in Seattle who witnessed an anti-Asian incident reported it to anyone
• Among those who experienced an incident, barriers to reporting include:some text
  • Not wanting to draw attention - 32%
  • Unsure of how to report incidents - 31%
  • Feelings of shame and embarrassment - 26%
  • Discomfort reporting to law enforcement - 24%
  • Didn’t know that the incident was something they could report - 20%

 AANHPIs in Seattle are changing day-to-day behaviors out of fear 

• Nearly three out of four AANHPIs in Seattle (72%) adopted at least 1 avoidance behavior out of fear of being a target or victim of anti-Asian hate
• Avoidance behaviors include: some text
  • Not going out late at night - 40%
  • Not walking in certain neighborhoods - 28%
  • Not walking near groups of strangers - 26%
  • Not taking public transportation - 22%
  • Not speaking in their native language in public - 22%

Recommendations 

• The survey highlights the AANHPI community’s need for additional resources to help combat this issue.
• 61% of AANHPIs in Seattle want to receive more training on how to report hate incidents, what to expect when reporting, and how to safely intervene when witnessing incidents.
• Additional resources that respondents believe are necessary include: some text
  • Better relations with police - 76%
  • Mental health services - 74%
  • Legal services - 74%
  • Senior services - 72%
  • Activities for youth ( classes or programs in Asian American history, leadership, advocacy, etc.) - 72%
  • Community engagement activities - 68%
• 44% of respondents also noted that investing in infrastructure would help them feel safer in public spaces. Potential investments include improving lighting and walking paths. 
• Improving and expanding in-language access to emergency services, ensuring that all community members can effectively communicate their needs in times of crisis, is also a key element in promoting the safety of AANHPI communities and other non-english speaking communities. 

Methodology 

The survey was commissioned by The Asian American Foundation, and the data was collected by BSP Research between May 30 and June 10, 2024. Interviews were conducted both online and by telephone and in English, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese languages. The survey findings in this report are weighted to be representative of the Seattle metropolitan area AANHPI population. The weighting variable is based on age, gender, education, nativity, race/ethnic origin, party identification, and county. For the full sample of 1,000 respondents, the margin of error is ±3 percent.

‍

ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (TAAF)

TAAF serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AANHPI communities, TAAF mobilizes the community to fight against hate and violence, reclaim our narratives and celebrate our stories through our core pillars of Anti-Hate, Education, Narrative Change, and Resources & Representation. Through their high-impact initiatives, events, and investments in national and local nonprofits, they are creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of AANHPIs in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org.

‍

###

‍