Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Intersections will be joining over 40 organizations, both nationally and locally, in an effort to provide culturally-specific, community-based support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across the U.S. and Pacific.

The $13.2 million dollar initiative from the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act will be the first time Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV) will be distributing two years of funding to culturally specific organizations that serve sexual assault and domestic violence survivors in AAPI communities.

“We are thrilled to be working together with AAPI and our local partners to help mitigate the problem of sexual harassment and assault in our community and strengthen our efforts to build a society where this is no longer acceptable,” says executive director Moelili’a Seui, “it is critical that we continue the work with our most vulnerable populations during this unprecedented time.”

The American Rescue Plan Support for Survivors Program will address the emergent needs of survivors, and the programs that serve them, resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency. The work will also promote strategic partnership development and collaboration in responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency on survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

 “ API-GBV is honored and proud to welcome organizations like Intersections who are at the forefront of sexual assault and domestic violence work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is essential to have this kind of funding distributed to communities with organizations deeply rooted in their environmental and cultural awareness and expertise in supporting survivors,” said Monica Khant, Executive Director of API-GBV.

“The AAPI community is often left out of the public narrative on sexual assault and domestic violence and through this important work we will have the opportunity to support organizations who directly support survivors in our communities.”

The organization was selected by a committee of peer reviewers with extensive experience in the domestic violence and sexual assault fields.  The U.S. Funding provided under the ARP Support for Survivors grant will advance Intersections strategic plans for the years ahead.

Intersections is among 15 organizations serving Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and 14 organizations serving Middle Eastern communities, including projects focused on prevention, culturally specific services for Queer and Trans survivors, virtual services and data security, culturally rooted practices in healing and resiliency, and engaging men and youth.