At least one Richmond massage parlour is being “more cautious and alert” since hearing about the murder of six Asian women as well as two other people at massage parlours in Atlanta, Ga., according to Swan, a non-profit that advocates for migrant sex workers.
Alison Clancey, executive director of Swan, said it’s telling that much of the discussion about the killings has been about racism against Asians, despite the fact the man charged with the murders has been reported to say he was seeking revenge on woman who work in massage parlours, blaming them for his sex addiction.
That the focus has been primarily on the fact most of the women were Asian says something about that line of work.
“In reality, given the violence they experience, it’s just another day on the job,” Clancey said.
Meanwhile, the issue of race has resonated with the Richmond community.
Ivan Pak, president of Richmond’s Maple Leafs Anti-Racism Action Association (MLARA), a local not-for-profit that fights against racism in Canada, said many people he has spoken to feel a bit scared to be Asian-Canadian, especially during times like these.
The Vancouver Police recently reported anti-Asian hate crimes went up by 717 per cent from 2019 to 2020 in that city (from 12 incidents in 2019 to 98 in 2020).
Pak pointed to the recent data released from Fight COVID Racism, an online platform that provides support to people who experience racism that shows there has been an increase in hate crimes against Asian-Canadians since the start of the pandemic, with hundreds of incidents reported across Canada as of last May.
"Conversations and discussions between people from different cultural backgrounds are more needed than ever. We need to break up the silence and start communicating with each other," said Pak.
Anne Brandt, who moved to Richmond from Taiwan in 1974, said she’s experienced her share of racism within the community.
“I walked by Richmond Centre last March and was told to go back to China, even though I don't come from there and have lived in Canada almost 50 years,” Brandt told the Richmond News in an email.
But what particularly bothered her about the Atlanta incident was comments by the police at the press conference.
According to Cherokee County Sheriff's Department, in a news conference on Wednesday, the suspect has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.
However, Capt. Jay Baker's remarks - "yesterday was a really bad day for him (the suspect), and this is what he did" - received widespread criticism from the public.
"A really bad day should never be used as an excuse to harm others. The anti-Asian sentiment is immoral and should be stopped," said Brandt.
