Did anti-Asian hate decline? Americans say yes, Asians in US disagree: Report

Are Asian Americans living the ‘American Dream’? Depends on who you ask, it seems.

A report by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) reveals a gap between Asian-Americans’ lived experiences and how the American public perceives them. The report shows how Americans view Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities across various categories like hate, national security, visibility, belonging, and building bridges.

When it comes to hate crimes, the perception is contrasting.

Only one-third of Americans believe anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise, while 61% of Asian Americans report feeling increased hatred in the last 12 months.

Forty-three per cent of Americans surveyed showed no familiarity with recent attacks on Asian-Americans, according to the report.

Also, Asian-Americans feel the least sense of belonging compared to other racial groups, the report showed.

ASIAN AMERICANS FACES ABUSE AND DISCRIMINATION

“Lack of visibility and awareness of Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) issues, history, and leaders continues to pose a challenge to the AANHPI community’s sense of belonging and acceptance,” the report says.

Thirty-two per cent of the Asian-Americans said that they were called racial slurs and about 29% said that they have been verbally abused or verbally harassed over the past 12 months.

Forty-one per cent of the Asian-Americans surveyed believe that they will be physically attacked on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion in the next five years. While 59% of Asian Americans believe that they will become a victim of discrimination.

Due to discrimination and lack of representation, only 38% of Asian-Americans fully agree they belong, and even fewer (18%) feel fully accepted in the US for their racial identity.

Asian-Americans feel the least sense of belonging compared to other racial groups. For those who feel excluded, online spaces/social media (34%) are the least welcoming, followed by workplaces, neighbourhoods, and schools/colleges/universities (all 31%).

Six out of ten Asian Americans who don’t feel accepted (60%) cite experiences of discrimination and violence, while 37% say they don’t see people like them in positions of power, the report stated.

“Our 2024 data shows a disturbing trend that The Asian American Foundation has been tracking,” said Norman Chen, CEO, TAAF.

Asian-Americans are the fastest growing racial group in the US. The TAAF report found most Americans believe racism against them can be reduced by teaching Asian American history in schools (41%), seeing more Asian Americans in society (41%) and having more chances to meet Asian Americans (39%).

“When Americans learn our history, and see us on their TV screens and at the highest ranks of corporate America, that influences and shifts their perceptions, which can combat hate, build bridges, and ultimately create a sense of belonging for AANHPI communities,” Chen said.

ECONOMIC REALITIES OF ASIAN-AMERICANS

Over 2.3 million people with Asian roots living in the US were living in poverty in 2022, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. The analysis of data from the US Census Bureau shows that one out of every ten Asian Americans lives in poverty.

Indian-Americans are doing better than any other Asian-American group. Indian-Americans have a poverty rate of 6%, which is the lowest among all other Asian groups living in the US.

The results of this report are based on a survey of 6,272 US-based respondents, aged 16 and above, conducted through an online panel, between January 30 to March 13, 2024, by Savanta Research.