WASHINGTON — Following is a statement by Jennifer F. Kelly, PhD, president of the American Psychological Association, in response to the shooting deaths of eight people, six of them Asian American, at Atlanta-area spas:
“The American Psychological Association is horrified by these senseless shootings, which have struck at the heart of the Asian American/Pacific Islander community in the United States. America’s AAPI community has been rocked with increased incidents of bias and hateful rhetoric in the past year–almost 3,800 reported hate incidents in the past year, according to Stop AAPI Hate. Most of these have been targeted toward the elderly or women, but children have also been the target of violence. Whether or not these murders are formally classified as hate crimes, the impact on people in this community is the same: Trauma.
“As psychologists, we recognize the harmful mental and physical health effects of prejudice and xenophobia. We empathize with the fear and stress that many Asian Americans are experiencing. We urge those who are feeling traumatized in the aftermath of these crimes to stay connected to family and friends, talk about their feelings and limit their exposure to news media. And we call on all Americans to cease using anti-Asian terms when discussing the pandemic.
“Finally, we strongly encourage local officials to respond by ensuring the availability of culturally competent mental health services, to include linguistic support.”