US launches hotline for Asian-Americans to report discrimination

Amid growing anti-Asian harassment and discrimination occasioned primarily by the spread of Covid-19 in the New York City, the New York State Attorney General, Letitia James, has launched a hotline for New Yorkers to report any instances of hate crimes and discrimination.

Speaking about the development, James said in a statement that the service that has already started on March 24 would help victims with needed resources for them to fight off the challenge of hate crimes and discriminations.

“No one should live in fear for their life because of who they are, what they look like, or where they come from,” James said.

She also said that the hotline would continue to be available indefinitely and that the resources to be provided to victims would involve civil investigations which would directly involve law enforcement taking responsibility for criminal prosecutions.

It is a known fact that Asians from around the world have been subjected to harassment, hate and all forms of discriminations since the outbreak of Covid-19 as many including President Trump and many other Republicans, have pejoratively referred to the virus as either ‘Chinese virus” or “Wuhan virus”, the use of which John C. Yang said could have dangerous impact.

President and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, John C. Yang, had before said that he thought of the terms and they matter a lot.

“Certainly use of this term by him and others even in the last couple of weeks have led to a noticeable incline in hate incidents that we are seeing. I do think that there is a correlation.” Yang said.

Bill de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor and New York Gov respectively have regarded such discrimination as “unacceptable” and “disgusting”.

Similarly, in the wake of this trend, the California-based Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council and the Chinese for Affirmative Action have last week assumed responsibility to provide legal assistance to Asians who are victims of hate and discrimination crimes by connecting them with law enforcement and school districts. To realize this end the bodies have launched an online reporting center for Asians.