HOUSTON, Texas -- Tackling the issue of domestic violence can be extremely complicated and nuanced because of all the varying circumstances that may play into the challenges that victims face when leaving an abusive partner. One way that advocates believe they can improve survival rates is to look at how this problem uniquely impacts people of different cultural backgrounds and provide tailored resources to meet their needs. For Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, ABC13 wanted to explore how domestic violence is viewed and handled in AAPI communities.
ABC13 spoke to a Southeast Asian survivor, who shared that it has been two years since she left an abusive relationship with her ex-husband. Due to concerns about her safety, she asked to have her identity concealed before she felt comfortable enough to open up about her traumatic experience. "We met online.
We really connected in a very good way. We would finish each other's sentences. He was amazing to me and a very kind guy.
I wanted to settle down and he opened up to me. He just made me feel safe," she said. However, Jane Doe shared that things quickly took a dark turn only about six months into her relationship.
She said he allegedly began looking through her phone, accusing her of things she didn't do, destroying her stuff, making threats, and physically assaulting her. "At one point, he told me that if he caught me cheating, he would cut my throat open. I had to sleep with a fanny pack with my ID and some mone.
