Our Practice: What We Do

NAPIESV’s philosophy is founded on the intersectionality of not only race, class, and gender but also immigration status and geopolitics in analysis. This extends to our understanding of emerging issues, best practices, interventions, and activities that could compromise victim/survivor safety.

NAPIESV emphasizes that technical assistance should be deeply informed by the work of advocates on the ground, adopting a survivor-centered approach by regularly incorporating input and feedback from individuals with lived experiences as victims/survivors of sexual assault. This ensures a thorough understanding of emerging issues and empowers effective practices.

Our organization critically assesses the role of communities in perpetuating violence and explores concepts of both individual and community healing. We are dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and advocating for a society where all individuals can thrive, free from the impacts of sexual violence.

Our analysis of gender-based violence is rooted in the needs of victims/survivors, with confidentiality and autonomy as foundational principles. Recognizing that a victim/survivor is a community member, we prioritize community-based interventions and prevention programs alongside service provision. Given the close-knit nature of API communities, reporting or discussing sexual violence may present barriers to community understanding, leading to reactions such as dismissing occurrences or silencing and blaming the victim/survivor. Implementing interventions grounded in the liberatory aspects of the community’s cultures and traditions proves to be effective.