The line-item veto of California's Department of Public Health Domestic Violence Program on July 28, 2009 seriously threatens our ability to provide essential Domestic Violence services to those in need. We urge you to help us by contacting Governor Schwarzenegger and voicing your outrage!

Click here for the full press release and additional information.

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your support and for joining us in creating a future free from violence. At Asian Women’s Shelter, the children and women remind us every day about the true meaning of courage, hope and determination, and this inspires our continued work to end violence throughout our families, communities and the world at large.

I would like to share a few AWS stories with you.

Deni is an Indonesian woman who endured a violent relationship for many years. When she finally gathered the courage to escape the violence, her husband accused her of attempting international kidnapping of their children, and she was put into jail. Deni needed someone who believed her, could speak her language, provide legal representation with knowledge of and sensitivity to Muslim religious law, family law, domestic violence legal protections and provisions, international and immigration laws. Through our collaborative work, AWS, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, and Narika were able to work together to assist Deni and her children. Deni was able to get out of jail, come to AWS, and reunite with her children. Now she has won custody of her children, has moved out of state, and is starting a new life.

Erin is an immigrant Thai woman who was in an abusive relationship with a woman. Her partner threatened to out her to her employer and her family if she ever told anyone about the abuse. Erin was afraid of her partner, and equally afraid of not being believed and becoming ostracized by her close-knit queer community of friends.  She sunk into hopelessness and endured the abuse for many more years, until she was able to connect with AWS’s queer Asian women’s services (QAWS). Staff gave her the support she needed to regain her confidence and access resources. Erin escaped her abuser and rebuilt her life. She wants to do community education about same-gender relationship violence to raise awareness and promote healthy relationships for herself and others in the community.

As a Chinese woman from a prominent, well-known family, Sue hid the abuse she suffered from her husband. More than for her own well-being and safety, she feared the shame and potential danger it would place on her family members if she were to reveal that she was being abused. In reaching for help, Sue needed to be sure that services were completely confidential, and that those helping her would understand her experience in the context of her cultural beliefs and her close- knit community. With the help of AWS, Sue was able to leave her abusive husband. She found out that she was not alone. She wants to help change beliefs among her family, friends, and community, and shift the shame of domestic violence away from the victim to the perpetrator of violence, and to the family and community members who look the other way and ignore abuse.

Although each woman had a unique situation with distinct needs, what these women had in common was that they were able to access language and culturally relevant services from Asian Women’s Shelter and our close network of collaborating agencies.

Since opening in 1988, AWS has held the vision that one size does not fit all, and has contributed to a diverse network of services with many points of access. AWS, partner agencies, and community action committees build a network of response to domestic violence that is larger, stronger, and more diverse than what would be possible from any one agency alone. Instead of competing with one another, or engaging in turf battles over programs, clients, or funding, AWS, partner agencies in the Asian community, and other domestic violence services in San Francisco work together to maximize resources, avoid duplication, and create a continuum of diverse services and prevention efforts.

Hate, exclusion, isolation, and fear are the breeding grounds for violence. AWS builds community because this breaks through isolation and keeps us all safer. We make a human connection to bring humanity and creativity into the solutions, when so many have lost their human dignity and compassion due to fear and violence.
 
On behalf of the women and children, staff and board of AWS, our deepest thank you to our community for sharing our vision of ending violence across the diversity of San Francisco. We believe that together, steadfast to our inclusive vision, we can create equality and peace for all.

Warm Regards,

Executive Director