Report Reveals 41 Per Cent Asian Americans Fear Physical Attacks, 32 Per Cent Face Slurs Days After Biden Called India 'Xenophobic'

A recent report from the Asian American Foundation has revealed a significant gap between how the general public perceives hate and discrimination against Asian Americans and the reality experienced by the community in the United States.

This report comes in the backdrop of US President Joe Biden's remarks that immigrants have mad positive contributions to the strength of the United States while attributing economic stagnation in countries like China, Japan, Russia, and India to xenophobia.

The STAATUS Index 2024, an in-depth study, explores the perceptions and experiences of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) in the US.

The study found a sharp contrast between public perception and reality. Only one-third of Americans believe that hate against Asian Americans has increased, yet the AANHPI community has endured numerous incidents of violence and discrimination.

In the past year, 32 per cent of Asian Americans reported being called a slur, and 29 per cent experienced verbal harassment or abuse.

These rates are even higher among subgroups such as Southeast Asian Americans. Moreover, a significant number of Asian Americans fear becoming victims of physical attacks (41 per cent) or discrimination (59 per cent) because of their race, ethnicity, or religion.

The survey also revealed that many Asian Americans feel a lack of belonging and acceptance. Additionally, there are increasing doubts about their loyalty to the United States. One in three Asian Americans reported being a target of hate in the past year.