South Asian support groups offer help to survivors of gender-based violence in New York City
NEW YORK - Studies show nearly half of South Asian people in the United States report experiencing gender-based violence.
CBS New York's Elle McLogan spoke with advocates uplifting survivors while trying to put an end to what's being called a cycle of abuse.
When Jinelle Ranasinghe moved to the U.S. from Sri Lanka, it took her a while to come out of her shell.
"I'm slowly opening up, getting to talk to people, because I was very shy," she said.
Those around her didn't know she was suffering the trauma of an abusive relationship.
"I thought, 'I'm just, like, damaged. There is nothing that I can do to come out of it,'" she said.
When she connected with the group Sakhi for South Asian Women, she says everything changed.
"Sakhi has been my savior, actually," she said.
The nonprofit offers support to survivors of gender-based violence in New York City, prioritizing culturally-sensitive care for members of the South Asian diaspora.
"Shame is almost like a social handcuff, or this concept of duty is like a social handcuff," executive director Kavita Mehra said.
She says many seeking help are dependent on the very person inflicting harm.
"What we also see across our community is greater forms of isolation," she said.
Sakhi says they saw a 68% increase in calls to their helpline from January to July of 2023, compared to that time frame last year.
"As the first South Asian woman elected to New York State office, this issue is very important to me," Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar said.
She remembers a tragedy that rocked her community in 2022.
"Mandeep Kaur was a South Asian woman here in Richmond Hill, and she took her life after suffering eight years of domestic abuse," she said.
Kaur had documented her abuse on video.
"And what was even more outrageous was that the husband, the abuser, was not prosecuted," Rajkumar said.
Just last week, an apparent murder-suicide under investigation in Ozone Park sparked an outcry from gender justice group Jahajee Sisters. They wrote in part, "This heinous violence is so much a part of our culture that a common saying is, 'If he beats you, he loves you.'"
They count the female victim among a growing list of lives lost to intimate partner violence.
Groups like Sakhi for South Asian Women and Jahajee Sisters offer counseling and safety planning as well as financial and legal support. Their locations are confidential.
Jinelle Ranasinghe wants other survivors to know a better life waits for them on the other side of fear.
"Do not hesitate for a second," she said.
These days, she's pursuing a new dream.
"I really want to be a nurse," she said.
And she's on her way to buying a house with a purpose in mind.
"All the girls who need a place to live can come stay with me," she said.
Reach the Sakhi for South Asian Women helpline at (212) 868-6741 Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Additional resources are available at sakhi.org and jahajeesisters.org.
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