API Chaya: Nonprofit Directs Services to Seattle’s Minority Communities

There’s no shortage of fanfare that bestows Seattle; the most current, Forbes naming it 2015’s top city for Most Jobs. There are also accolades for Fastest Growing City and America’s Coolest City which has led to a dramatic, record-breaking rise in the city’s population. As the city grows to new heights, its immigrant and minority population is skyrocketing at record pace. As the new waves of immigrants comingle with the existing minority communities, there are ripples of discord, leading to a tsunami of problem areas too often covered-up by their culture’s stigma of shame and patriarchal regime. Those suffering, primarily women, are often left silent until outreach efforts provide information and safe havens.

A Seattle-based nonprofit organization that works with and advocates for minorities finds a way to reach those that need help. API Chaya formed in 2011 when the South Asian social services center, Chaya, merged with the Asian Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center. It provides direct services to Asian, Pacific Islander and South Asian survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual violence by educating and empowering survivors to take action and bring change. Earlier this year, it hosted a community forum on the powerful documentary INDIA’S DAUGHTER, following the candlelight vigil and dialogues the organization hosted in 2013 after the crime. 

API Chaya volunteers at a candlelight vigil 

Many of its clients find API Chaya through word-of-mouth, confidential hotline, referrals from law enforcement/agencies but often, API Chaya will make its way to its clients by visiting temples and mosques to help those shrouded in silence and shame. “The highest number of clients we see are from the South Asian community,” says Didi Manhas Saluja, board president for API Chaya.  Didi and I met last month in a Seattle Green Lake neighborhood coffee shop and she gave good insight on the people API Chaya helps. “Some of the women we help are affluent and professional while others are bound to their husband’s Visa immigration status but unable to legally work themselves,” Saluja continued. Second most served client group is the Filipino community and though the rate of violence doesn’t differ much across communities, the same value of not marrying an individual but rather the entire village is constant across its clients. When marriage is perceived as a village then the shame when things go wrong is not just felt by the women but also her relatives, family and overarching community.

Volunteers hold support signs

API Chaya uses linguistically-relevant, trained advocates in many diverse programs such as Peaceful Families Taskforce, Queer Network Project, and Jaago,( which raises awareness of sexual assault in South Asian communities) to help domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking survivors. Another layer to the trained advocates is the nationally-recognized program, Natural Helpers. Saluja says that this additional support level is key in engaging community members to be leaders and help survivors demystify issues and talk about them in an open, safe environment. Natural Helpers undergo rigorous training in order to engage and help community. Many staff, leaders and community members come together annually for the popular API Chaya Annual Dinner and Auction. Surpassing last year’s attendance record, 2015 attracted over 600+ supporters for the fundraising event.

API Chaya 2015 Annual Auction

API Chaya is led by a nine-person all volunteer board, 18 paid positions and the tireless effort of volunteers. They participate and offer events in almost all aspects of Seattle minority communities. From movie screenings, to panels on human trafficking, to candlelight vigils, to campaigning for equal rights, API Chaya is there to support and empower the community. But like most nonprofits, Saluja is quick to point out that API Chaya plans to remain a viable community organization by building their financial sustainability.  They rely on private donations and government grants to help Seattle’s burgeoning minority community. If you can help, please donate here.

New Law and New Study on Child Trafficking in Georgia

No matter how uncomfortable it is to talk about selling of children for sex, the reality that

demands it is staggering. Atlanta ranks first in sexual exploitation in the U.S and about

200-300 girls are trafficked on a monthly basis. There is legal reason to be hopeful with

the legislative passage this week of Safe Harbor/Rachel’s Law, cracking down on

sexual exploitation of children. On the other hand, there is a rising rate of concern about

the understudied sexual exploitation of boys.

At its annual legislative breakfast, youthSpark nonprofit organization hosted several

keynote lawmakers including Senator Renee Unterman (R-Buford) who authored the

recently signed law. In it, minors will be restricted from being charged with prostitution

as well as offenders will be fined $2,500 per penalty. “Lots of tough negotiation to pass

this law but this shows that Georgia is equally committed to rehabilitating the victims

and offenders will be punished for profiting off of innocence,” she said. Levied fines will

pay into the Sexually Exploited Children Fund to assist victims.

                             Executive Director, Alex Trouteaud, speaks during the annual breakfast event.  

Seated next to Unterman on the panel was Rep. Andy Welch (R-110) who worked side-

by-side with her to ensure passage across Senate and House said, “The key to this

bill’s passage was the young survivor, Rachel’s testimony. She gave credibility and bore

witness to those that are in the shadows.”  The now 20-year-old survivor, namesake of

the bill, is also the recipient of youthSpark’s 2015 annual advocacy award.

Based at the Fulton County Juvenile Court, youthSpark, works on the front lines to end

human trafficking on both the supply and demand side. Their work protects girls but lots

of boys too as they unveiled recent findings in a ground-breaking study on exploited

boys of Georgia.

Commissioned by the Dunn Foundation, youthSpark research team captured data that

showed a telling statistic: 1 out of 5 boys sexually exploited is a minor (17 or below).

Sex trade for boys is happening primarily online and with the advent of new internet

sites cropping daily, it makes it difficult for law enforcement to conduct investigations.

Thusly, buyers are becoming bolder because the risk for arrest is minimal. On the flip

side, however; if a buyer is arrested (study shows buyers account for 10% of

prostitution-related arrests) there is a 70% lower recidivism rate.

Sen. Unterman says the problem of child sex trafficking is problematic not only in the

city of Atlanta but also in the suburbs. Recent study confirms by geocaching posted ad

problem is not inner-city Atlanta but far reaching suburbs and all across state.

Rectifying the issue involves firstly looking for exploited boys not by “visual cues such

as tattoos and piercings,” said Alex Trouteaud, Executive Director of youthSpark. He

continues, “We have to ask the right questions and immunize before trafficking actually

happens especially the high-risk youth.”

Partnering with legal professionals and trained social workers will help in addressing the

problem as well as building on early intervention and prevention.

WABE's co-anchor, Rose Scott, was the event's panel moderator. 

Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, spoke at the youthSpark annual breakfast meeting.