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Indica News: Feature article10/27/2022 Let’s talk about domestic violence: Anita BhatiaDomestic violence is embarrassing because in many cases you feel you are an intelligent woman and how could this happen to you and you choose not to share that information with anyone, so the first step to healing is actually to be open and be honest to speak up, says Anita Bhatia, executive director, of Ramesh & Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation, who earlier this month, made a $3 million grant to Sakhi, the second oldest South Asian gender-justice organization in the United States.
Bhatia was one of the speakers at the Indiaspora 10th anniversary gala. She spoke to indica on the sidelines of the conference held at Hayes Mansion San Jose, Curio Collection by Hilton in San Jose, California. Bhatia, supporting Sakhi, said, “The reason is, I have experienced violence myself in a relationship, and I have also experienced violence at home. The one our community doesn’t talk about. So, I am here to talk about emotion, feelings, and how we communicate with each other.” On donating funds to Sakhi, Bhatia said that Kavita Mehra, Executive Director of Sakhi for South Asian Women, is a friend of hers for many years and that she [Mehra] had invited her to a Sakhi gala in New York. “I was moved by the survivors who spoke out in 2018, and that time I made a personal donation,” Bhatia said. She asked Mehra what they are doing for youth survivors, and that she would like to support them because she learned Sakhi had a support system for domestic violence victims’ mothers, but no specific program for the youth. It was then she asked Mehra to submit the proposal because “we wanted to serve a youth survivor.” Bhatia said that when you are an adult and you are experiencing trauma you hopefully have a good foundational base, so to get out of that trauma is very difficult. When a child experiences trauma, its brain is still forming and the child’s idea of how a relationship exists is seen then. When you see your father speaking to your mother in a certain way or hitting her, you think that is how life is. “I think education has to start from childhood,” Bhatia said. “And our culture, our family says it’s your problem. Don’t talk about it, because we don’t want to hear about it. You are on your own. You are married and you have to deal with it.” The number of domestic violence cases is rising, she said. “Covid was a very big factor because women are stuck at home with their abusers and unable to get out. In that situation, Sakhi has done a lot of work and provided rapid response to get to the survivors. Bhatia said that “domestic violence in our community is highly underreported and it is because culturally we are told not to speak about it.” Families are affected and it takes a lot of courage to speak out. She said she had a conversation on this with her mom [to speak about herself]. Asked what makes her strong and speaking fearlessly about this issue said that “god gave her the ability to be this strong since childhood.” She added, “I’m born this way.” Bhatia said it is difficult for Indian or south Asian women to talk about domestic violence but the only way to change this culture is to get people to talk about it. Bhatia has earned a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from the University of Southern California and graduated with a BA from the University of Texas, Austin. She currently serves on the UT Southwestern Medical Center President’s Advisory Board and Marketing Committee. Prior to joining the Foundation, Bhatia, who held senior leadership positions in healthcare developing and implementing marketing campaigns and business development strategies for major hospitals and healthcare systems, says being able to help people is her passion. Writer: Ritu Jha
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Marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month, country's second oldest South Asian gender-justice organization plans to develop evidence-based, culturally relevant models to break cycles of intergenerational trauma
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation awarded Sakhi for South Asian Women (Sakhi), the second oldest South Asian gender-justice organization in the United States, a $3 Million grant spread over the next 10 years to deepen multigenerational healing to South Asian families experiencing gender-based violence. The largest gift of its kind to any South Asian American social service organization, this multi-year grant will help Sakhi establish the South Asian Safe Families Initiative, which will focus on supporting South Asian families through a culturally rooted approach. "The Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation has enabled Sakhi for South Asian Women to pursue transformative work with families impacted by violence through the South Asian Safe Families Initiative," said Kavita Mehra, Executive Director of Sakhi for South Asian Women. "This bold initiative will take the conversation of healing from a siloed, individual experience to one that will bring families closer together and the restorative ripple effects of this investment will be felt for generations," Mehra added. Historically, not enough resources have been made available to the community. Research on mental health and gender-based violence is rarely adapted for the community, and South Asian-specific stressors such as immigration, socio-economic disparities, racism, and caste are seldom taken into account. Sakhi and The Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation believe that without considering these unique experiences, South Asian families risk transferring that trauma from one generation to the next and repeating the cycles of violence. "Building upon the more than 30 years of experience Sakhi has developed in helping heal South Asian survivors affected by gender-based violence, we saw an opportunity to expand services to the children and family members also profoundly affected by the trauma of violence," said Anita Bhatia, MHA, Executive Director of The Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation. "Gender-based violence has an indelible impact on families from one generation to the next so it is important to not only find ways to break the cycle but to recognize that such healing takes time," Bhatia added. The Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation's 10 year grant will allow Sakhi to develop culturally valid interventions, and provide therapy that can strengthen the parent-child bond and interrupt this cycle. Expanding on Sakhi's previous mental health interventions — made possible by an earlier 2019 grant by The Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation — The South Asian Safe Families Initiative will address a crucial need in the community. Investing in the mental health of South Asian children and families recovering from violence are vital for the well-being of the entire community. At the start of this Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, The Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation's $3M grant to Sakhi for South Asian Women renews their long standing commitment to addressing mental health in South Asian communities and can help radically transform models of healing for survivors of trauma. About Sakhi for South Asian WomenFounded in 1989, Sakhi for South Asian Women (Sakhi) exists to represent the South Asian diaspora in a survivor-centered movement for gender justice. As the second oldest gender-justice organization serving the community, we honor the collective and inherent power of all survivors of violence. Sakhi is committed to serving survivors through a combination of efforts including—but not limited to—direct services, advocacy and organizing, technical assistance, and community outreach. The Executive Director of Sakhi for South Asian Women, Kavita Mehra, is available for interviews about how to support South Asian survivors of domestic violence. Sakhi for South Asian Women, P.O. Box 1333. Church Street Station New York NY 10008-1333 www.sakhi.org Contact: Tan Hayat, Media Liaison [email protected] (347) 415-3951 (cell) |