Linda Phan, SAHELI Executive Director
March 3, 2009 | Yvonne Lim Wilson
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Imagine that you are a recent immigrant to this country. Your husband beats you. He does not allow you to use the telephone or leave the house. Even if you were allowed, what good would it do when you don’t know English?
Women with stories like these are ones that SAHELI (Support, Advocate, Heal, Empower, Listen, Inform) for Asian Families helps every day.
The good news is that you can help support SAHELI and enjoy some of your favorite Asian foods. On March 28, the Keep Austin Spicy festival makes its debut, with proceeds benefiting SAHELI, Capital Area Food Bank and SafePlace.
Local restaurants will offer hot, flavorful creations. Arts groups, including the Multicultural Arts Partnership, will display their works. Local performers will entertain. The event is a family friendly one and will also offer games and crafts for kids.
“This is something we could do so the entire community could participate,” said SAHELI executive director Linda Phan.
Since 1992, SAHELI has been providing crucial support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault within a range of different ethnicities, including Indian, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Taiwanese, Korean, Filipino, as well as families with Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Latin American backgrounds.
There is no single demographic that describes the “average” SAHELI client, Phan said.
“We have clients from age zero to 70 … we have clients who don’t make a penny to VPs from Fortune 500 companies,” Phan said.
Cases involve human trafficking, domestic violence, in-law abuse, immigration abuse, transnational abandonment (“marry and dump”), and emotional abuse. About 137 families are helped by SAHELI annually.
It is crucial to provide culturally sensitive services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Phan explained that you can not apply the traditional domestic violence model to women from Asian cultures.
For Asian women, the idea of independence does not have the same meaning as it would for a woman of Western culture.
“Asians come from a collectivistic society. In Western philosophy, there is honor with independence. That doesn’t resonate with Asians. Your identity is tied up with your family. They see themselves as an extension of their family,” Phan said.
Asians tend to be more private, and the subject of domestic violence and sexual assault is strongly taboo, which not only impacts outreach, but also makes fundraising difficult.
“It’s not something you can mobilize the community to rally around,” Phan said. “Most of our funding does not come from the Asian community.”
When a person contacts SAHELI for help, the support is comprehensive, including a confidential help line, counseling, legal needs and even emergency housing. SAHELI currently employs five advocates and 52 interpreters and will soon be adding at least one more, much needed, advocate.
“Before it was this underground railroad, women helping women,” Phan said.
From those humble beginnings, the organization has grown and reaches throughout Austin from arts to religion to social service outreach.
SAHELI screens Cinema Truth films to highlight violence against women issues specific to Asian communities; offers Asian Story Time to help mothers with young children; and promotes programs year-round; and in May, will present a “Thousand cranes of peace” origami installation at City Hall to promote awareness.
Keep Austin Spicy on March 28 is an excellent way to get to know SAHELI, offer support and treat your tastebuds. For more information about the event, visit www.keepaustinspicy. For more information about SAHELI, visit www.saheli-austin.org.
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