Most people don’t realize that gender-based violence is a problem in the Asian/AAPI community. After working on first-hand cases, Eileen Dong has identified two main reasons that this problem goes unrecognized. First, law enforcement, prosecutors, and social workers are not properly trained on identifying victims, cultural competency, and trauma-informed linguistic care in culturally specific communities. Second, members of the Asian community who are victims may not report or even realize that they are victims.

After speaking at conferences, Ms. Dong is always urged by justice system officials, lawyers, and social workers to represent these unrepresented communities. Today, Eileen is the prominent lived-experience Asian-American woman leading inclusive, equitable, evidence-based, and data-driven policymaking, as well as bridging the gap on survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally and linguistically sensitive care between law enforcement, victims service providers and culturally specific communities, such as African American, Hispanic, Sub-Saharan African, Asian, and Arabic, through education, innovation and multidisciplinary collaboration.  “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together" – Martha Goedert

 Ms. Dong has spoken at various events advocating for legislation, including Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's press conferences on HR 30, the Stop Human Trafficking in School Zones Act. Dong has provided consultation on and endorsed the UN's Declaration of Human Rights by the American Youth. Her advocacy efforts have also led to the successful passage of legislation such as TX SB 49, almost tripling the crime victims’ compensation from $1,800 to $5,000 and the approval of $1 Million funding for the first trauma recovery center in Texas. 

In Dong's words, “I may not see the flowers blossom. But I am the one who has planted the seeds and am watering the seeds now. I hope to see a cultural shift in generations to come for victims from culturally specific communities to speak out, and eventually a world free from violence, exploitation, and slavery.”