THEIR LIGHT REMAINS

Content Note: The following letter contains information about violence, including fatalities, which may be activating. We share this information to honor the lives lost and raise awareness. Please take care of yourself as you engage with this content. If you need support, you can find resources here.

The Time for Bold Action is Now: We Must Invest in Communities to Prevent and End Gender-Based Violence in the South Asian American Diaspora

This letter is for survivors, advocates, organizers, community leaders, funders, policymakers, researchers, allies, and the South Asian community. It serves as a tool for advocacy, awareness, and a call to collective action. It challenges the belief that violence is merely an individual issue, should stay hidden behind closed doors, is solely the survivor’s responsibility to end, or is not preventable.

Since 2022, gender-based violence (GBV)—encompassing family, intimate-partner (IPV), and interpersonal violence—has claimed 51 lives in the South Asian American diaspora,¹ including 13 harm-doers. These numbers, based on public reporting, likely underrepresent the true scale of violence and loss.

This alarming level of violence is reflected globally, particularly within marginalized communities across the world. According to a UN Women’s report on femicide, 85,000 women and girls were intentionally killed worldwide in 2023, with 60% committed by intimate partners or family members. 

The tragedies are not isolated incidents; they stem from interconnected systems of oppression. In the U.S., violence devastates our communities and homes, with even deeper impacts on diasporic and displaced groups, where social, economic, and structural challenges deepen their toll. Globally and systemically, genocide, apartheid, and state-sanctioned violence are part of this continuum, from Palestine to Sudan, the Congo to Kashmir, in and beyond the U.S.

The fast-growing South Asian American diaspora, now likely over 5.4 million people, faces a staggering prevalence of GBV: 48% of South Asian men and women report experiencing some form of violence. Despite the existence of a robust network of over 40 South Asian anti-violence organizations, increasing community needs, limited resources, and systemic barriers often leave survivors without the support they urgently need.

In 2024, we lost 19 lives to GBV in the South Asian American diaspora, including the lives of 5 harm-doers. Based on previous years, we anticipate additional cases between publishing this letter and the end of the year. 

This year, we honor the lives lost of: 

Rajdeep Kaur (age 32) | Stockton, California²

Alice Benziger (age 38), Noah (age 4), and Neithan (age 4) | San Mateo, California

Chandra Maya Poudel-Rimal (age 33) | Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Syeda Aalia Nayyar (age 57), Syeda Fatima (age 25), and Alizey Fatima (age 33) | Elkridge, Maryland

Vipanpal Multani (age 27) | Richmond Hill, Queens, NYC

Jasvir Kaur (age 29) | Carteret, New Jersey

Tika Dhimal (age 40) | Reynoldsburg, Ohio

Mamta Kafle Bhatt (age 28) | Manassas, Virginia

Muna Pandey (age 21) | Houston, Texas

Sowmya Balasubramanian (age 31) | Columbus, Ohio

& the names we don’t and won’t know

Understanding Patterns of Harm

Our analysis revealed deeply troubling trends: 89% of fatalities involved family violence, with 74% tied to IPV. 63% of individuals were under 35, and 42% were immigrant women. Gun violence and murder-suicides led to 74% of fatalities, and 91% of harm-doers were South Asian males. While not expanded upon below, we also observed a disproportionate number of cases in Ohio (3 cases), a state where there are no South Asian-specific anti-violence organizations, and within the Nepali community (4 cases), one of the fastest-growing Asian American groups in the US.

These patterns reflect broader cultural and systemic challenges, from harmful gender norms to inadequate support for survivors and families. To break cycles of harm, we pair our analysis with recommendations and calls to action—focused on prevention, culturally specific interventions, and collective efforts to build a future rooted in safety, healing, and justice.

Note: Individuals who died by suicide as a result of trauma from GBV, either in childhood or adulthood, are not included due to the lack of publicly available information.

17 (89%) lives were lost to family violence, including 14 (74%) lives lost to incidents of IPV.

IPV is pervasive and often dismissed within South Asian cultural and familial norms, leaving survivors unsupported and silenced. Even when family and friends are aware, many hesitate to act due to stigma and harmful beliefs about marriage, divorce, and gender roles. A 2021 study found that 57% of South Asian U.S.-based female participants reported experiencing physical violence by an intimate partner or spouse. The study also highlighted emotional abuse, economic abuse, and isolation as other prevalent forms of abuse within the community. 

The impact of family violence extends far beyond those immediately involved. This year alone, it left 6 children without one parent and 9 children without both parents, shattering families and creating lifelong psychological wounds. The generational toll of such harm highlights the urgent need for prevention, early intervention, and culturally specific support systems that address the root causes of violence. Without meaningful action, these cycles of harm will continue, affecting individuals and entire communities.

12 (63%) were people under the age of 35, and 3 (16%) lives lost were children and youth.

Youth and young adults face unique risks, with rising homicide rates for women ages 25 - 34. A 2022 study revealed that 85% of South Asians ages 18 - 34 experienced some form of sexual assault. Often, young lives are lost even when youth are not direct victims of IPV, as found in last year’s analysis. In a 2021 study of South Asian adults, 41% of respondents reported witnessing parental violence, which increases the risk of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and the likelihood of repeating cycles of harm.

Young people’s vulnerability to violence demands our urgent attention. Dedicated programs and interventions are essential to protect their lives, break intergenerational cycles, and ensure that they not only survive but can access healing, safety, and joy.

8 (42%) of the lives lost were immigrant women.

South Asian immigrant women face unique and compounding vulnerabilities. Isolation, structural and language barriers, and lack of resources exacerbate the risk of IPV and make it nearly impossible to seek help. Coupled with “dependence on the citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse,” these systemic barriers are compounded by anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies, leaving survivors with limited options for safety. These tragic deaths also reflect a broader issue that violence against immigrant women often goes unheard, unsupported, and unreported.

Under the impending federal administration, stricter immigration policies, increased deportations, and anti-immigrant rhetoric endanger immigrant survivors further. For South Asian survivor-serving organizations, this will be heartbreaking and especially difficult, as a majority of survivors they support face threatened immigration statuses. When survivors are failed by systems that were meant to keep them safe, they are left with few to no options to escape violence. We must reimagine robust support, including community-based alternatives, to create pathways to services, safety, and justice for immigrant survivors.

10 out of 11 (91%) people who caused harm were South Asian males.

Of the 11 harm-doers in our analysis, 8 were husbands, and one was a mother-in-law. These patterns of violence are deep-rooted in harmful gender norms, power imbalances, and expectations of masculinity. Cultural and religious teachings and institutions often reinforce these norms, which normalize and even conceal violence. While these patterns are alarming, they are not unique to South Asians. Patriarchal norms are pervasive across cultures and must be actively dismantled.

Simply put, we know that hurt people hurt people. Education and healing for men and boys—as survivors, harm-doers, and allies—are crucial to breaking the cycles of harm and fostering accountability.

14 (74%) lives were lost to gun violence.

Gun violence amplifies the deadliness of IPV. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, firearm sales in Asian American communities have risen by 43%, likely driven by increased anti-Asian rhetoric, further fueling cycles of violence. The danger is evident: abusers with guns are five times more likely to kill their victims, and IPV-related homicides involving firearms increased 58% from 2014 to 2020. This alarming trend demands urgent federal action including stricter gun access measures, increased research, and targeted efforts to prevent gun violence.

14 (74%) lives were lost in murder-suicide cases.

These numbers are a chilling reminder of the fatal intersection between mental health and violence. Research shows that most murder-suicides in the U.S. involve intimate partners, with most of those fatalities being women killed by male partners. 

For South Asian men, cultural stigmas around masculinity and mental health create dangerous pathways to violence. Without support, shame can manifest as anger or depression, increasing the risk of IPV and self-harm. Asian American males already experience higher rates of suicide than females, yet are three times less likely to seek mental health support compared to white Americans.

Breaking the silence around mental health is critical. We must challenge harmful norms of masculinity and create pathways for men to seek support because, without intervention, the cycle of harm will only continue, leaving more lives and families shattered.

4 (21%) deaths involved asphyxiation, half of which were strangulation.

Strangulation, one of the most lethal forms of violence, is often used to assert control and is a significant red flag in intimate partner violence (IPV). Studies show that up to 68% of IPV victims experience near-fatal strangulation, a high-risk factor for homicide that is often overlooked.

The lethal nature of such violence stresses the urgent need for better awareness, systemic support, and interventions to identify warning signs and prevent more harm.

Calls to Action & Recommendations for Bold Change

To survivors, advocates, and organizers on the frontlines—

You are loved, believed, and embraced by a united community that stands firmly with and alongside you. You are the heart of this work, and we deeply honor the unrelenting persistence, labor, and vision you bring to this movement for justice. As you engage with these recommendations, we invite you to reflect on the wisdom and care already present in our communities. Consider: How can we imagine and build pathways that center care, repair harm, and disrupt cycles of violence—by and for our communities? 

Let’s fortify our collective movement, boldly demand the resources our communities need, and deepen our shared commitment to healing and transformative change.

To funders, faith & community leaders, researchers, and policymakers—

The challenges survivors and frontline organizations face will only grow in the coming years. Funders, community leaders, researchers, and policymakers hold the power and resources to take action in the face of expected funding cuts, stricter legislation, and rising racism, white supremacy, xenophobia, and patriarchy.

Less than 2% of philanthropic funding goes to women and girls, while government funding is laden with restrictions. The hostile sociopolitical environment and bleak funding landscape threaten to collapse the support systems survivors rely on.

Now is the time for bold and proactive action. The recommendations below call for urgent investment—in programs, research, and policies—that are culturally rooted and community-driven. South Asian frontline organizations nationwide are already leading this work. Funders must invest in them to channel critical resources where they are most needed. Without supporting the frontlines, we cannot effectively intervene to save lives.

1. Expand Mental & Physical Health Support

Fund Culturally-Tailored Physical & Mental Healthcare: Allocate resources to culturally tailored physical and mental health services that address the acute and long-term impacts of survivorship, including chronic anxiety, trauma, and physical illnesses.

Increase the Workforce of Specialized South Asian Mental Health Providers: Support the training and hiring of the South Asian mental health workforce, who specialize in culturally and trauma-informed care and are equipped to address the unique challenges survivors face at the intersection of GBV and mental health.

Advance Research: Support studies exploring the intersections of physical and mental health, gender-based violence, and cultural and structural barriers to care to create informed, intersectional, community-based interventions.

2. Prioritize Youth Healing & Violence Prevention

Fund Early Intervention & Healing: Invest in culturally responsive programs that offer healing and support to youth and families exposed to and/or experiencing violence, breaking cycles before they take hold.

Fund Prevention Education: Fund prevention initiatives, such as comprehensive sex education, to help young people and families develop skills for healthy intergenerational relationships, communication, and conflict resolution.

3. Address Gun Violence to Prevent Harm

Support Research & Data Collection: Invest in research and community-led data collection efforts to understand firearm access, usage, and its role in GBV within South Asian communities.

Enact Stricter Gun Laws: Require universal background checks and close the loophole allowing unlicensed sellers to sell guns without background checks, and expand Extreme Risk Laws to all states to temporarily restrict gun access for individuals showing warning signs of suicide or violence.

4. Create Robust Pathways to Safety & Justice for Immigrant Survivors

Expand Survivors’ Rights Through Legal Protections: Push for expanding life-saving protections like the U visa, T visa, and VAWA programs, passing the WISE Act, and ensuring survivors can pursue justice without fear of deportation or retaliation.

Improve Existing Justice Systems & Invest in Community-Based Alternatives: Advocate for justice systems that are trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically tailored, and accessible to immigrant survivors. This must include alternatives outside of state systems to provide survivors with meaningful pathways to safety and healing. 

Fund Vital Culturally Tailored Support Services: Increase funding for South Asian, MENA, and AAPI community-based organizations that provide holistic, survivor-centered support to immigrant survivors, including legal assistance, counseling, financial empowerment programs, and more.

Streamline Family Law Processes: Simplify divorce, custody, and other family law matters for immigrant survivors through alignment with international treaties and national policies, reducing delays and stress.

Provide Education & Resources at Immigration Portals: Equip consulates, embassies, airports, and immigration officials with training to recognize and respond to signs of gender-based violence. Provide newly arrived immigrants with accessible, culturally relevant information about their rights, available resources, and pathways to safety. 

5. Engage Men and Boys as Allies, Survivors, & Harm-Doers

Support Male Allyship: Fund programs that challenge deeply ingrained gender norms and expectations of masculinity, promote healthy models of masculinity, and engage men in preventing violence and fostering accountability.

Prioritize Healing for Men and Boys: Recognize that men and boys can be survivors and harm-doers, whose survivorship is often overlooked, and invest in programs that support their healing from trauma, address cycles of harm, and encourage emotional expression.

Invest in Accountability & Transformative Justice: Support approaches focusing on accountability, healing, and systemic change. Improve intervention programs for those who cause harm to align with transformative justice principles, emphasizing accountability, behavioral change, and community-centered repair. 

6. Support Culture & Narrative Change

Invest in Survivor Storytelling & Leadership: Fund initiatives that amplify survivor stories and create spaces for survivors to lead advocacy, shape policies, and redefine cultural narratives, ensuring that their lived experiences inform cultural and systemic change.

Invest in Narrative & Culture Change: Fund programs that foster community education and dialogue on healthy relationships, masculinity, mental health, and gender equity, as culture change is essential to breaking down patriarchal norms, preventing violence, and promoting healing and accountability.

Invest in Culturally Rooted Healing: Support and fund healing practices rooted in South Asian traditions to create care systems that reflect our communities' needs. These include storytelling and practices like yoga, meditation, and art-based healing.

To the South Asian community & allies—

These tragedies force us to ask not only why they happen but what we can do to stop them.  Beyond the statistics lies a deeper truth: generational trauma lingers in our communities, memories, and bodies, demanding urgent collective action. Each of us has a role and responsibility, and it will take all of our efforts to not only end violence but create a culture of respect, love, and healing—true antidotes to harm.

The recommendations above reveal the state’s deep failures to address the root causes of harm or support survivors experiencing harm. Safety for our communities cannot rely solely on systems that have repeatedly failed survivors. True change lies in the power of our collective action. Together, we can build the safety and justice our communities deserve.

1. Believe & Support Survivors

Show up for survivors with compassion and without judgment. When someone shares their story, listen with empathy, validate their experiences, and respect their choices. Offer tangible support, such as helping connect them with resources or simply being a safe, trusted presence.

2. Support, Join, & Get Involved in the Movement

Support & Get Involved with Local Organizations: Donate to, volunteer with, & support your local South Asian anti-violence organizations. Many of these organizations are underfunded and rely on the community’s help to sustain their critical work.

Support & Get Involved with National Collectives: Donate to and join the movement to end gender-based violence with South Asian SOAR.

Support the directly-impacted families: Many of the families impacted by the violence have set up GoFundMes to directly offer support, often to the children of those who have passed. You can find the links below.

3. Invest in Learning, Healing, and Community Care

Being informed is the first step to being an effective ally, and your everyday actions play a huge role in preventing and ending violence.

• Educate Yourself: Read our primer on GBV in the South Asian American diaspora to understand the root causes and impacts of violence.

• Be Prepared to Support Others: Learn how to support a friend, family member, child, parent, or co-worker experiencing violence with empathy and care.

• Engage in Dialogue: Have intergenerational conversations about difficult topics, such as mental health, marriage, and gender norms, to help shift culture and stigma.

• Cultivate Healing & Healthy Relationships: Dedicate time to your healing and growth while cultivating relationships rooted in respect, trust, and care. Actively engage in community care practices, supporting others in ways that strengthen collective well-being.

Footnotes:

1. Our findings are based on publicly available media reporting of each violence case.

2. Rajdeep Kaur’s life was taken in Punjab, India, while she was visiting her in-laws and attending a wedding. 

A Note on Language

We intentionally use terminology rooted in restorative and transformative justice, such as “harm-doer,” “person who caused harm,” “person who experienced harm,” or “life lost,” instead of traditional terms like “victim” and “perpetrator” throughout this letter. This language honors the complexity of these stories, acknowledging the profound harm caused while challenging binary frameworks and advocating for systemic changes that prioritize accountability, healing, and transformation.