Raksha Statement on Legal Access to Abortion
May 6, 2022
As an organization that works with adults, teens and children who have experienced sexual assault and domestic violence, we strongly believe that survivors should be empowered to make the choices that are best for themselves and their belief systems and realities.
Abortion bans perpetuate gender-based violence. We know survivors who have been assaulted by their intimate partners, employers, family members, faith leaders, and more. Control over one’s reproductive health or choices is one of the ways in which abusers continue to control women and keep them from leaving, thus impacting their lives.
Abortion restrictions also worsen racial and economic inequities and disproportionately harm low income and marginalized survivors, who cannot afford or have the means to travel to access fundamental health care. Inaccessible abortion care can complicate care for medically risky pregnancies for all women/womyn. All survivors should have autonomy and choices to access resources that support their individual healing, empowerment and access to justice.
If you’d like to know more about the recently leaked Supreme Court’s draft majority opinion and get involved in ensuring continued access to reproductive health care, here is a list of local and national organizations:
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is a multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls in the U.S with a mission is to build collective power so that all AAPI women and girls can have full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities. Website: www.napawf.org Facebook: @napwaf ; @napawfatlanta Instagram: @napawf ; @napawf_atl
- Feminist Women’s Health Center is a only non-profit, independent, locally based organization in Georgia that directly provides reproductive health services, while also protecting reproductive rights and promoting reproductive justice through organizing and advocacy.
Website: www.feministcenter.org
Facebook: @FWHC-Atlanta
Instagram: @feministcenter - Planned Parenthood Federation of America, provides healthcare and education services concerning sexual and reproductive health. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund (Georgia) is a political advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which provides healthcare and education services concerning sexual and reproductive health. Website: www.plannedparenthood.org Facebook: @plannedparenthood ; @plannedparenthhoodaction
Instagram: @plannedparenthood ; @ppact
Love and light,
Raksha Board & Staff
Raksha Statement of Grief & Solidarity | June 2021
On behalf of the board and staff of Raksha, we share our profound grief for the countless deaths impacting our home countries in South Asia and throughout the world. Many of us have lost friends, colleagues, and family members. Our hearts are breaking as we feel helpless and so far from our loved ones. We have been providing a compassionate ear as we listen to these struggles from our clients. Many of them are already in crisis from the violence they have experienced and are now weighed down with feelings of helplessness in not being able to help their families or get closure with the deaths of loved ones. For many of us, there are fears that we may not see our family and friends back home again.
We would also like to express distress at continued violence against racial and religious minorities – locally, nationally and globally. We are deeply saddened by the recent murder of the Pakistani-origin Canadian family in London, Ontario, Canada. This is upon the heels of the impact of Asian shootings in our city, which affected the Asian community; the Indianapolis FedEx shootings which killed 8 people, four of which were South Asian and practicing Sikh community members. Ninety percent of the workforce at the Fed-Ex facility were of the Sikh faith. These heinous crimes occurred in May, which happens to be a very religious, reflective, and spiritual time for our staff and clients who were fasting this past month.
The continuing violence and hate experienced by the communities we serve and are connected to is yet another reminder that a global pandemic is no deterrent to prejudice and racism.
We stand in solidarity with our own communities, as well as, all of the communities globally impacted by mass violence, violence, and hate.
We are grateful for the many global nonprofits, cultural and faith organizations who are mobilizing and raising funds and sending equipment to impacted areas. We are also grateful for organizers, community leaders and nonprofits that are creating important conversations around equity and inclusion for our communities and addressing hate and racialized violence with advocacy, resources and support services.
In recognition of Immigrant Heritage month, Pride month and Men’s Mental Health month (June) and the upcoming Minority Mental Health month (July), we send love to our community as we deal with back to back tragedies and hope for peace, wellness and healing for our local, national and global communities.
* We want to remind everyone to make sure to take care of themselves and be aware of how all these tragedies might impact mental health/well being.
* Be mindful of how often you watch the news and make time to find joy in the small things around you.
* Know that your pain is real and valid and that you are not alone in the sadness you might be feeling.
* We are always available to offer resources if you need someone to talk to or referrals for mental health support.
Love and light,
Raksha Inc Board & Staff
For AAPI-specific mental resources, please click here.
Raksha Statement on the Shootings in Atlanta and Racialized Misogyny Targeted at AAPI Communities | March 2021
Raksha sends love, light and healing to our community as we grieve the lives attacked and lost as a result of hate and gender based crimes nationally and locally targeted toward AAPI Communities.
In our home state of Georgia, Raksha stands in solidarity with the victims, witnesses, families and community impacted by the shootings at Asian-owned businesses on March 16, 2021 which resulted in the deaths of 8 people of which 6 were Asian American women.
We are deeply anguished by the intersectionality of gender-based violence, racism and prejudice that manifests itself through this crime. Our experience working with gender based violence for over 25 years tells us that perpetrators often use many excuses to justify their targeted violence. Structural racism and racialized misogyny breed a sense of privilege that justifies these acts of violence towards marginalized groups, minorities and women.
Honoring the pain, loss and grief inflicted by these shameful tragedies, we resolve to continue working in solidarity with our beloved community members and organizations with support and services to ensure healing, empowerment and justice for the victims impacted and communities we are a part of. We are grateful for our community allies that are checking in, standing up and showing up for AAPI communities.
Raksha, Inc.