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Cassie Chinn, left, and May Ching prepare the "Women and Violence" exhibit, which opens tomorrow at the Wing Luke Asian Art Museum in Seattle. The exhibit, which runs through Sept. 4, focuses on the vulnerability and resilience of Asian-Pacific American women. Women and Violence exhibit part of the New Dialogues Initiative at the Wing Luke Asian Museum SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/visualart/220821_ncenter20.html Exhibit looks at violence against Asian women Wednesday, April 20, 2005 By ATHIMA CHANSANCHAI SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER As part of a new exhibition at the Wing Luke Asian Museum, empty jars will line the small gallery. Underneath each jar will be questions, including: "Have you ever known someone who is a victim of domestic violence?" and a pile of rocks. Visitors who answer yes are encouraged to put a rock in the jar. Organizers expect many full jars by the end of the five-month exhibition, "Women and Violence." Focusing on both the vulnerability and resilience of Asian-Pacific American women, it opens with a reception tomorrow and runs through Sept. 4. Videos and slide shows will accompany panels that take visitors through the terrain that leads to women becoming punching bags and commerce as the victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. Visitors will see how women are enslaved by war and how economic and workplace inequalities swing the pendulum of power toward abusers. Another room holds resources for becoming a survivor. Mannequins in the center of the room show outfits matching the most common exotic sexualized stereotypes that cling to Asian women in the United States: the Dragon Lady/Sexy China Doll, the Geisha, the Mail-Order Bride and the Hula Girl. All the outfits were ordered on eBay, said exhibit planner May Ching. The Mail-Order Bride features a white sundress briefly sold at Wal-Mart with "Return to Sender" and several World War II stamps on it. "You're confronted with the issues and how it manifests in society," said George Quibuyen, one of the exhibition coordinators. "It's not so much about the nature of victimhood. It's not a space to throw it back in their face." In the decade since a pregnant Susana Remerata was gunned down by her abusive husband in the King County courthouse, advocates of Asian immigrant women have come forward as empowered survivors trying to prevent further tragedy. "The community has a role to prevent it. The more education we do, the better. Domestic violence is still a taboo issue in the community, even though we've been doing this for 10 years," said Emma Catague, the program manager in community organizing for the Asian & Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Center, which is one of the exhibit's two community partners. The other is the Seattle chapter of the Gabriela Network, an organization of U.S.-based Filipinas who focus on organizing, educating, networking and advocating around the trafficking of Filipinas through the "mail-order bride" industry, prostitution and forced labor migration. Catague, a survivor of domestic violence 30 years ago, added, "One of the reasons I want to speak up is to help others get out of their situation." "Violence on women is a serious crime and does not discriminate. This issue cuts across all lines of ethnicity, nationality, language, culture, economics, sexual orientation, physical ability, education level, and religion, and affects women from all walks of life," said Joann Natalia Aquino, Wing Luke's spokeswoman. "We hope that women affected by violence will know that there's a community out there they can turn to for support, assistance, resources and shelter. We want them to know that they are not alone." According to the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 205 people were killed from 1997 to 2001 in the state in domestic violence-related homicides. Current or former boyfriends or husbands did most of the killing of women. Washington police departments responded to 51,550 domestic-violence calls in 2000, including homicides, rapes, assaults, robberies and arsons. "Asian immigrant women suffer at a greater risk," said Lan Phan, executive director of the Safety Center. "Asian culture is so focused on family. There's nobody you can talk to, there are language issues, lower socio-economic status and immigration status." All visitors need to do to understand the spirit of the exhibition is to look up at one of the quotes that will scroll on the gallery's walls. This by poet activist Audre Lorde: "I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood." OPENING AND RECEPTION AT THE WING LUKE At 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Wing Luke Asian Museum members and the public are invited to an exhibition opening and reception to commemorate the unveiling of the "Women and Violence" exhibit. The event is free. Light refreshments will be served. The Wing Luke Asian Museum is at 407 Seventh Ave. S. in Seattle's International District. To RSVP, call Joann Natalia Aquino, public relations manager, at jaquino@wingluke.org or 206-623- 5124, Ext. 106. The Wing Luke Asian Museum is also asking for old cell phones as part of the HopeLine program, a national program by Verizon Wireless to recycle cell phone. It benefits victims of domestic violence. A cell phone drop-off box will be available at the museum. Donors can also deposit used wireless handsets, which will be refurbished, recycled and/or sold, with all proceeds going to non-profit groups that help victims of domestic violence. P-I reporter Athima Chansanchai can be reached at 206-448-8041 or athimachansanchai@seattlepi.com ? 1998-2005 Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Shedding Light on Exploitation

Chansanchai, Athima

Seattle Post Intelligencer

April 20, 2005

1900.4807