Study commissioned by TAAF finds that nearly 2 in 5 AANHPI Seattle residents has been the victim of an anti-Asian incident in the past 12 months, showing that public safety and racialized attacks are a major problem for AANHPIs in Seattle.
Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) in Seattle are experiencing racially motivated attacks and harassment, and have deep concerns about public safety. The results of this study show just how widespread the problem is in a metropolitan area where AANHPIs make up a sizable portion of the population. The goal in conducting this research is to better understand the current safety concerns and experiences of AANHPIs in Seattle, and use that data to identify resources that will help the community. TAAF hopes that civic and community leaders are inspired to work together and join us in building solutions to foster increased safety, belonging, and prosperity for Seattle’s AANHPI population.
The survey is a representative study based on a sample of 1,000 AANHPI respondents in the Seattle metropolitan area, age 16 and above, conducted between May 30 and June 10, 2024.
Of the issues affecting AANHPIs in Seattle, public safety is among the most critical.
On public transit, in neighborhood stores, and even in workplaces, many respondents reported feeling unsafe. 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.
AANHPIs are experiencing Anti-Asian hate in high numbers.
Almost 2 in 5 AANHPI respondents reported they’ve been the victim of an anti-Asian incident in the past year. And shockingly, 1 in 5 respondents had been physically attacked in the past 12 months. It’s clear that AANHPIs in Seattle are facing a public safety crisis.
_TAAF_StateOfSafety-NYC_Toolkit_static_04.png)
Anti-Asian incidents are severely underreported.
The results of this study only tell part of the story. Reporting incidents of harassment and hate is a persistent challenge, especially in many AANHPI communities where there may be cultural barriers to reporting. In fact, only 46% of respondents 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.
_TAAF_StateOfSafety-NYC_Toolkit_static_01.png)
There is an urgent need for resources to combat Anti-Asian incidents.
Respondents were very clear on what resources would make a difference in increasing safety and resilience in their communities. 76% of respondents called for better relations with law enforcement, while others pointed to mental health health services (74%), legal services (74%), and senior services (72%) as necessary resources for the community. Another important element in promoting AANHPI safety is improving and expanding in-language access to emergency services.
_TAAF_StateOfSafety-NYC_Toolkit_static_05-01.png)
Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) in Seattle are experiencing racially motivated attacks and harassment, and have deep concerns about public safety. The results of this study show just how widespread the problem is in a metropolitan area where AANHPIs make up a sizable portion of the population. The goal in conducting this research is to better understand the current safety concerns and experiences of AANHPIs in Seattle, and use that data to identify resources that will help the community. TAAF hopes that civic and community leaders are inspired to work together and join us in building solutions to foster increased safety, belonging, and prosperity for Seattle’s AANHPI population.
The survey is a representative study based on a sample of 1,000 AANHPI respondents in the Seattle metropolitan area, age 16 and above, conducted between May 30 and June 10, 2024.
Of the issues affecting AANHPIs in Seattle, public safety is among the most critical.
On public transit, in neighborhood stores, and even in workplaces, many respondents reported feeling unsafe. 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.
AANHPIs are experiencing Anti-Asian hate in high numbers.
Almost 2 in 5 AANHPI respondents reported they’ve been the victim of an anti-Asian incident in the past year. And shockingly, 1 in 5 respondents had been physically attacked in the past 12 months. It’s clear that AANHPIs in Seattle are facing a public safety crisis.
Anti-Asian incidents are severely underreported.
The results of this study only tell part of the story. Reporting incidents of harassment and hate is a persistent challenge, especially in many AANHPI communities where there may be cultural barriers to reporting. In fact, only 46% of respondents 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.
There is an urgent need for resources to combat Anti-Asian incidents.
Respondents were very clear on what resources would make a difference in increasing safety and resilience in their communities. 76% of respondents called for better relations with law enforcement, while others pointed to mental health health services (74%), legal services (74%), and senior services (72%) as necessary resources for the community. Another important element in promoting AANHPI safety is improving and expanding in-language access to emergency services.