Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month offers a vital opportunity to address sexual assault within AAPI communities, where cultural stigmas and immigration status often create additional barriers to reporting and seeking help. Many AAPI survivors face unique challenges, including language barriers, fear of bringing shame to their families, and distrust of systems that have historically failed to provide culturally responsive care. These intersecting factors contribute to the underreporting of sexual violence in AAPI communities, making dedicated advocacy and culturally-specific resources essential components of effective support systems.  

By recognizing these distinct challenges during AAPI Heritage Month, we can promote healing-centered approaches that honor diverse cultural contexts while working toward more inclusive sexual assault prevention and response. This commemoration reminds us that effective awareness must acknowledge how cultural identity shapes survivors’ experiences and pathways to healing. 

Mosaic Georgia has partnered with various organizations within the Asian community to drive discussion, educate, and collaborate.  

In a significant cross-cultural exchange, Mosaic Georgia recently welcomed lawyers from Seoul National University School of Law to discuss approaches to supporting sexual assault survivors. The visit illuminated stark contrasts in reporting processes, with Korean survivors facing additional hurdles such as requirements for detailed written statements before police investigations can proceed. This collaboration highlighted how cultural and systemic barriers create universal challenges for survivors seeking justice, while offering both parties valuable insights into developing more trauma-informed approaches that could be implemented across continents. 

Mosaic Georgia’s outreach to parents and caregivers at the Korean Parent Association Seminar at
Northview High School addressed growing concerns about children’s safety in the digital age. The seminar covered critical topics including family violence, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse, while providing practical information on protective orders, divorce proceedings, and crime reporting. Discussions centered on how deeply embedded cultural norms—particularly around shame—can prevent survivors from seeking help and accessing justice, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive support services within AAPI communities.

Teen dating violence education was the focus of another impactful event where Mosaic Georgia
staff educated Korean teenagers about their rights under Title IX, consent concepts, recognizing dating violence, and reporting options. The interactive session revealed emerging trends in technology-facilitated abuse affecting young survivors. Participants openly discussed the unique social pressures that prevent teen survivors from coming forward, including peer pressure, bullying, and fears about social ostracism—challenges that are often amplified within tight-knit cultural communities. 

Recognizing the influential role of faith leaders, Mosaic Georgia conducted a comprehensive
Korean Pastor Training Seminar for 50-60 pastors on family violence, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse. Staff attorney Esther provided crucial education on mandatory reporting laws, reporting procedures, and appropriate responses to disclosures involving children, elders, and adults with disabilities. This engagement acknowledged the pivotal role spiritual communities often play in survivors’ healing journeys and emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces within faith contexts where cultural sensitivities are understood and respected.