The Atlanta Mass Murder of
Asian Women: CSWA Response
3/19/21

Kendra Roberson, LICSW, PhD, CSWA President

Laura Groshong, LICSW, CSWA Director, Policy and Practice

Anti-Asian hate crimes have spiked over 1900% since March of 2020 (MSNBC, 3/16/21) placing the tragic Atlanta murders in a historical context that has supported violence against Asians, and notably Asian women since the late 1800s. (TIME, https://news.yahoo.com/atlanta-shootings-fit-long-legacy-110100656.html ) Chair of the Social Work Department at Seattle University, Hye-Kyung Kang writes “Asian American women are particularly vulnerable and targeted due to the triple jeopardy of racism, colonialism and misogyny”. (https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/racist-colonialist-and-misogynist-narrative-abets-violence-against-asian-women/) Correspondingly, journalist Elise Hu writes “This Atlanta tragedy lies at an intersection of race, gender, class and the legacy of America’s history of colonization and violence in Asia.” (Ibid, TIME.)

In a Seattle Times Op-Ed, University of Washington’s Associate Dean for Faculty Excellence at the School of Social Work, David Takeuchi notes the mental health impact of hate crimes on our communities. He emphasized the need for policymakers to “create more ways for people to report such incidents and to increase awareness of why reporting is necessary”. He also places these incidents in a geo-political context citing the tensions between the U.S. and China as a catalyst for people to “act on their prejudices”. (https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/ending-anti-asian-violence-requires-urgent-action-at-all-levels/)

There is no way to make sense of the horrific slaughter of six women, but as clinical social workers we strongly promote the need to see our friends, family, clients, co-workers, students, etc. from intersectional identity perspectives, to support the continued struggle for racial equality, and to rail against Anti-Asian hate and white supremacy in all its forms.  

As clinical social workers, our hearts break for the victims of this senseless, hate-filled crime. We stand in solidarity with the families of those whose lives have been lost and for those who live in fear that they too could be victimized.