Safety
The impact of hate: Effects & Outcomes
How does anti-Asian Hate affect communities?
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a quantifiable and noticeable rise in anti-Asian sentiment. There are far reaching impacts and consequences of anti-Asian sentiment and hate on communities. This section examines four different impact areas on the community—safety, health, economics, and otherness vs. belongingness. These are but a few of the several visible and invisible consequences that anti-Asian sentiment and the COVID 19 pandemic has exacerbated.
There are several resources available to community members looking for services and ways for community members to get involved in to combat anti-Asian hate.
Select an impact area to learn more:
Safety
The most straightforward consequence of hate enacted against a targeted community is a decreased sense of
safety. The violence attributed to anti-Asian sentiment significantly decreased the community’s sense of
safety, with many Asian Americans choosing to alter their lifestyles and habits to avoid being
targeted.
Multiple studies have concluded that anti-Asian hate and the resulting actions have led to community members
feeling less safe, whether for themselves or their loved ones than before the Covid 19 pandemic.
45%
feel less safe in their community than before the COVID-19 Pandemic
Source: AYC/AJSOCAL SGV Stop the Hate Survey
59%
changed how they feel or behave when they leave home
Source: AYC/AJSOCAL SGV Stop the Hate Survey
62%
experienced a negative impact to feelings of safety while commuting
- Coqual "Strangers at Home: The Asian and Asian American Professional Experience"
The concern about safety extends beyond just personal safety, and encompasses safety concerns for friends and family, particularly elders. While all the attacks have a deep negative effect on the Asian population, those on vulnerable elders particularly invoke a sense of unease due to cultural beliefs of honoring and protecting elders.
“I try not to go out at night or
walk around the neighborhood.”
“I pay attention to people
around me and what they are saying and how their nonverbal communication. It is extremely stressful.”
“I am definitely more cautious
and aware of my surroundings and find myself getting anxious.”
Mental Health
Asian Americans are the least likely to seek help for mental health issues and least open to discussing
mental illnesses due to cultural stigmas and language barriers. Yet, with the pandemic and the rise in
anti-Asian sentiment, mental health concerns have risen among Asian Americans. Studies have shown that
discrimination adversely affects mental health and anti-Asian hate has led to worsening of mental health
conditions, including anxiety and depression.
The mental health toll of anti-Asian sentiment was particularly severe in young Asian-Americans — 2/3 of those
surveyed reported worsening depressive symptoms and those who encountered anti-Asian harassment had increased
depression severity (Young Asian American Health Survey).
46%
of Asian Americans reported anxiety during the Pandemic
Source: National Anti-Asian American Survey
15%
of Asian Americans reported having depressive symptoms
Source: National Anti-Asian American Survey
31.8%
of Asian Americans reported probable clinical levels of depression symptoms
Source: CARES - BU
30.3%
of Asian Americans reported experiencing anxiety
Source: CARES - BU
22.3%
of Asian Americans reported experiencing PTSD symptoms
Source: CARES - BU
For context, depression among all emerging adults was at 12% pre- COVID-19.
- McGee & Thompson
- McGee & Thompson
Addressing and confronting anti-Asian racism is key to alleviating the mental health burden on the Asian American community.
Over Two-Thirds
of respondents who experienced anti-AAI discrimination suffered from either depression, anxiety, binge drinking, non-suicidal self-injury or suicidal ideation
Source: Zhou, Banawa & Oh “The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Discrimination Against Asian American and Pacific Islanders” and “The Healthy Minds Study”
63%
said that anti-AA violence has negatively impacted their mental health
- Coqual “Strangers at Home: The Asian and Asian American Professional Experience
Additional solutions for addressing and confronting anti-Asian racism include investing in affordable mental healthcare and culturally sensitive and linguistically competent services.
Economics
Due to COVID-19 shutdowns, many businesses saw declines in revenue. Researchers at Harvard estimated that the
cost to the U.S. economy surpassed seven trillion dollars in lost gross domestic product (GDP).
Many Asian American business owners suffered from the economic costs of anti-Asian hate and discrimination in
addition to pandemic related shutdowns. Anti-Asian rhetoric led to decreased revenue for Asian-owned
businesses and a decreased sense of safety while visiting Asian owned businesses.
63%
of hate occurrences happened at a place of business, including the
experiences of both Asian American business owners and patrons
The Payment Protection Program loans program was implemented during the pandemic to help small businesses. Over $900 billion was spent on assisting hard hit businesses. However studies have found that Asian business in Asian majority areas had loan rates of about 80% compared to white majority areas, with white businesses receiving a higher average loan amount.
-28%
February 2020 — April 2020
The number of Asian owned small businesses dropped 28%
compared to 17% of non-Hispanic White small businesses.
Source: Mar & Ong, COVID-19 Employment Disruptions to Asian Americans
These statistics further highlight the economic disparities caused by the pandemic and COVID-19 for Asian communities.
-18.4%
Asian restaurants experienced an 18.4% decrease in traffic (estimated $7.42B revenue lost) compared to
other non-Asian restaurants.
Source: Huang et al. “The cost of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic”
The economic impact of anti-Asian sentiment on Asian owned businesses highlight the need for investment by government and community-based strategies to strengthen and protect these businesses which often serve as places to gather for community members, in addition to being a means of survival for owners.
Otherness
Despite the long history of Asian Americans living in the U.S., Asian Americans have had conflicted experiences with how welcoming the U.S. has been towards them.
58% of Asian Americans reported that experiencing
discrimination is a reason why they feel that they do not belong.
Source: STAATUS
Historically and through the present day, Asian Americans have been scapegoated and treated as “perpetual
foreigners” with many having been questioned “where are you really from?” which stem from Asian Americans
differing from the preconceived notions of how Americans “look”.
As a result, many Asian Americans struggle with feeling a sense of otherness or a lack of belongingness that are
heavily fueled by experiences of discrimination.
This compounds the identity struggles (e.g., whether they identify as Asian American or with their specific
ethnic group, or neither) that many Asian Americans already grapple with.
Asian Americans aware of the perpetual foreigner stereotype exhibited measures significantly decreased
life satisfaction and wellbeing.
Source: Huynh et al., 2011
Such experiences with discrimination and racism, and these identity struggles, in turn can negatively impact mental health. The recent rise of anti-Asian hate has thrust these issues to the forefront after being scapegoated and blamed for the COVID-19 virus.
38%
of Asian Americans ages 54-64 feel Belonging and Acceptance
Movement Building
The movement to combat anti-Asian hate is not new, but the rise in anti-Asian hate incidents has sparked a
renewed sense of urgency. Common slogans plastered on signs during Stop Asian Hate rallies such as “protect
our elders”, “end violence against Asians”, and “stop Asian hate” convey that anti-Asian hate and violence
will not be tolerated. Many organizations have programs and services to address anti-Asian hate and
discrimination.
Learn more about these programs and how to get involved.