by Matthew Watson

The Asian American Student Union and the Filipino Cultural Association at the University of Maryland hosted a joint community meeting Tuesday to discuss how Asian-American, Pacific Islander and Desi cultures are affected by sexual assault and misconduct.

“It’s easy to feel like mainstream conversation on sexual assault is centered on the white experience,” Asian American Student Union and Filipino Cultural Association both captioned in posts on their official Instagram pages. “So AASU and FCA have partnered to create a space to discuss our experiences as Asian Americans.”

The meeting, called “Let’s Take Up Space,” was open to all students and took place in Tawes Hall. Nearly 40 students attended.

Part of the meeting focused closely on information about the cycle of abuse, using examples like the model minority myth — the misconception that all Asians are well educated and successful to serve as a role model for other minorities. Another example was the rape culture pyramid — a continuum of attitudes toward gender and dating scripts that normalize sexual violence to visualize its lasting effect on Asian-American, Pacific Islander afnd Desi communities.

Members of the AASU Executive Board also led a general overview of how Asian men and women have been negatively portrayed throughout history and in the media. Examples included the fetishization of Asian women as either the domineering “Dragon Lady” or the quiet “Lotus Blossom,” and the stereotyping of Asian men as passive and emasculated.

During the latter half of the meeting, participants separated into small groups and discussed questions about their experiences and attitudes on topics like the effect of Asian influenced gender norms on day to day interactions, which encouraged further conversation about the effects of Asian-American, Pacific Islander and Desi culture and how it has affected such discussions with friends and family.   

“I saw it at a [FCA General Body Meeting] and I decided it might be cool to join,” said Joseph Jacob, a freshman electrical engineering major. “I really liked how it was a safe space and you could share without having to worry so much.”

Lei Danielle Escobal, the co-vice president of internal Affairs for AASU, played a major role in organizing the event. 

“I’m glad we had this opportunity and this space,” said Escobal, who is a sophomore American studies and sociology major. “For Asian Americans, a lot of the spaces that we’ve entered in our lives have not been spaces that have uplifted our voices before.”

This event was the last community meeting for the AASU this semester. Previous events touched upon other topics such as race disability policing and  Asian-American, Pacific Islander and Desi communities’ representation in mainstream media.

For students affected by sexual violence, the University of Maryland’s CARE to Stop Violence 24/7 crisis line can be reached at 301-741-3442.

Featured image: A graphic advertising the event. It reads, “Let’s take up space: A discussion on sexual violence and APIDA experience.” Photo courtesy of the Asian American Student Union and Filipino Cultural Association.