A majority of Asian Americans living in New York City have altered aspects of their lives to prevent being the target of an anti-Asian incident, according to a new study released Thursday.
Three-quarters of Asian Americans in the city have adopted at least one “avoidance behavior,” which includes not taking public transit or speaking in their native tongue, the survey, conducted by nonprofit The Asian American Foundation, found. Younger Asian Americans tended to be more likely to say they adapted their behavior.
“Younger Asian Americans — many have grown up here in the U.S. — have the language and the cultural skills to adapt and become ‘more mainstream.’ It’s what they feel like they need to do to avoid bullying in schools and other attacks,” said Norman Chen, the organization’s CEO. “In the short term, maybe that’s saving them from potential violence and attacks, but in the long run, reducing who they are. We need to find better solutions.”
For the study, TAAF researchers surveyed 1,000 NYC-based Asian Americans, ages 16 and up, on the subject of public safety between Nov. 30 and Dec. 19, 2023. The surveys were conducted over the phone and online in English, Chinese, Korean and Bangla.
Researchers found that during the time period, 36% of respondents feared being verbally or physically attacked due to their race, and 48% avoided going out late at night, with an even higher percentage of women reporting they do so. Forty-one percent of Asian American New Yorkers also refrained from taking public transit.
“That has a huge effect on people’s mental health, on their livelihood and on their work,” Chen said. “It’s something very concerning.”
The report also found that 17% of Asian Americans in New York City said they refrained from speaking their native tongue in public.
“The fact we have to … be on guard all the time when we’re outside and hide our culture, hide our identity, and not speak the language that we perhaps want to…
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