OperASIAN, an international non-profit organization dedicated to manufacturing and distributing rape kits to police stations in Asian countries, while raising advocacy for culturally stigmatized people and topics.
DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / October 28, 2021 / During the universal lockdown, while most teens were texting and uploading TikTok videos, one group of community-minded friends changed the world. 17-year-olds Annabel Hong, Navya Sampathkumar, and Tej Bhoga banded together to create a one-of-a-kind solution for victims of sexual assault. These unique kits were specifically designed after careful consultation with the medical examiners as well as Chinese law enforcement.
"We were constantly told that it couldn't be done. We never stopped believing and continued to fundraise, study the legal processes, and work closely with our international representatives. The team has come so far in creating tangible change, but I know that our efforts don't end here. We are just getting started." says Navya Sampathkumar.
With the help of carefully vetted Chinese suppliers, the team sourced the goods to complete the kits. In the first phase of distribution, 200 curated kits were sent to Chinese law enforcement agencies on Friday, October 22, 2021, to aid with the apprehension and conviction of sexual predators. After more than a year of painstaking investigation, interviews and probing OperASIAN compiled the first-ever rape forensic examination kits for China. The packages were sent to multiple under-resourced counties within cities like Jinshi, Lixian, and Jiuli among others to aid survivors in their pursuit of justice.
A recent report by the UN Council states that incidences of rape have increased to a staggering 29% globally, with only 3% of sex offenders ever being prosecuted in the Asia Pacific. In the U.S., the CDC estimates that over one million women are victims of rape annually, while in India, reports show one rape occurs every 16 minutes. Further disparaging are reports from the Office of National Statistics which conclude that 20% of women and 4% of men in the Asia Pacific have experienced a sexual assault since the age of 16, accumulating to roughly 3.4 million female victims and 631,000 male victims. Sadly, because of the social stigma surrounding these assaults, 5 in 6 victims do not report the abuse. Now, through the help of OperASIAN, victims have hope for the prosecution and conviction of their perpetrators.
"We drove from center to center, organized calls with social services, visited different manufacturing plants and discussed previously dismissed cases with police, trying to find evidence collecting mechanisms near our own town. We spent extensive time studying the intricacies of what truly makes a kit effective and easy to use," says Annabel Hong.
While victims grapple with the physical and psychological issues surrounding their experience, they are often further victimized by the dishonor and disgrace associated with rape and sexual abuse. Because of this, many victims within the Asian community remain silent. The team conducted interviews with police officers, medical examiners, and local activists to deepen understanding of the issue at hand. In one interview with a police official in southern China, he said victims may face blame and shaming from those within their own families and communities, which only further hampers rape convictions. "I personally experienced a case where after the case was finally convicted, the victim's family, the mother, wanting to protect her daughter's reputation, the family was willing to negotiate with the teacher who sexually assaulted their daughter for a settlement. And there isn't anything we can do if the family decides to stop moving forward with the case," the sheriff reflected.
OperASIAN seeks to remove the social barriers surrounding topics deemed taboo by creating safe spaces for discussion through podcasts, member-published article databases, social media discussions, and other ongoing activities to destigmatize the assaults and foster advocacy.
Another challenge noted by Chinese officials is the complexity of collecting evidence, particularly days after a rape has occurred. The lack of resources to provide aftercare, such as forensic exams, therapy, and case management of clients, is often not a top priority in cash-strapped communities in China. One local official explained "For small cities like ours, the city government doesn't really prioritize giving money to programs like these. They rather distribute their budget to other areas like building factories and helping businesses." The network at OperASIAN is lifting that financial burden by providing these kits free of charge.
What began as a conversation amongst peers committed to making the world a better place, now is a movement changing one city at a time. This is a youth-led social advocacy initiative made up of a global conglomerate of world changers who hail from the United States, China, England, and India. Collectively, they shed light on taboo topics within the Asia Pacific community, demonstrating their capacity to help make social change. Tej adds, "It took a lot of courage and diligence but being able to provide a voice for those who are being silenced is what motivates us to keep on fighting against these stigmas that plague our society."
Contact:
OperASIAN, Inc.
Tej Bhoga
(469) 213-0103
tej@operasian.org
www.operasian.org
SOURCE: OperASIAN, Inc.
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https://www.accesswire.com/669978/Texas-Teen-Activists-Fight-Unsolved-Sexual-Assault-Cases-in-China-with-Revolutionary-Rape-Kits
