(By Pearl Kim) Look around you. Conservative estimates report that one out of every eight women will be raped in their lifetime; the FBI reports the reality of rape is much closer to one in three. These numbers are not inclusive of the sexual violence where women are coerced, forced or manipulated into other forms of unwanted sexual activity. And what may be more unsettling than these figures is that the majority of rapists are not deviant sexual offenders but our friends, family members, coworkers, and members of our Church congregations. The myth that rapists are strangers waiting in bushes to attack is purely a societal ploy to deflect responsibility of these heinous crimes to “others” rather than the more numerous perpetrators who surround us.
The Department of Justice reports that “Asians were the least likely to experience serious violence,” but we all know that can’t be true. It appears their sources of data are not correctly reflecting the harm committed upon Asians within our own community. The Asian &Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence published literature to counter the notion that violence does not exist within the Asian community:
A 1986 study involving face-to-face interviews of a convenience sample of 150 Korean women living in Chicago found that: 60% reported having experienced physical abuse by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. 22% reported sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.
The Asian Task Force Study found:
- 29% of Korean respondents said a woman who is being abused should not tell anyone about the abuse, as opposed to 22% of Cambodian, 18% of Chinese, 5% of South Asian, and 9% of Vietnamese did.
- The proportion of respondents who were hit regularly by their parents as children varied slightly across ethnic groups: Cambodian (70%), Chinese (61%), Koreans (80%), South Asians (79%), and Vietnamese (72%).
Why do I mention all this? Because these are just some of the reasons why I decided to become a special victims prosecutor, knowing the dark reality of how many victims suffer in silence. I also recognize that our system is a work in progress that needs work in better assisting victims of violent crimes, particularly victims of Asian descent. So, it was certainly an unconventional career path for
a second generation Korean American to opt to enter the world of criminal prosecution rather than corporate law. But I was fortunate enough to have family that was so supportive of my passions and appreciated the importance of public service.
In fact, the roots of my social justice desires go back even farther, since my mother named me after Pearl S. Buck, the renowned author of The Good Earth. Pearl Buck grew up in China but was also active in the Civil Rights movement in America, helped further women’s rights globally, and essentially helped bridge the East and the West. She stood up against oppression and founded the first international adoption agency to help biracial children that were considered un-adoptable. I suspect all these inspirations and influences in my life are what lead me to do what I was meant to do – to seek justice on behalf of the oppressed.
My career at the District Attorney’s Office has opened up my eyes to the importance of a voice. I hope to see more Korean Americans getting involved within the public sphere, whether its politics or public service in order to enhance the lives of our fellow Korean Americans within the community. And my involvement as a Board Director at Pearl S. Buck International has shown me the living legacy of Pearl S. Buck and the ways that one person can still make a difference in the lives of children around the world.
Please spread the word about Pearl S. Buck International and consider sponsoring a child today!
About the Author:
Pearl Kim currently works as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the District Attorney, Delaware County, PA in the Special Victims and Domestic Violence Division. As a special victims unit prosecutor, Ms. Kim handles Protection From Abuse matters, child physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, rape, and Internet Crimes Against Children cases. In an effort to more effectively reach out to underrepresented communities, she was designated the Asian Outreach Liaison.
Ms. Kim was appointed to serve on the Joint State Government Commission’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking and to report back to the PA Senate any recommendations for changes in state law, policies, and procedures. She is a member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Ms. Kim serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for the Advancement of Women in Law Enforcement, the Board of Directors for the Pearl S. Buck International, and is on the leadership board for the Villanova Law Minority Alumni Society.
Pearl Kim obtained her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law where she was the recipient of the Villanova Achievement Scholarship, and received her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College. Ms. Kim has recently been recognized as one of the 2011 Diverse Attorneys of the Year by the Legal Intelligencer.
About Konnect Magazine
Facebook comments: