Silent Struggles: Harassment and Gendered Safety Challenges of South Asian Youth in Hong Kong

This paper investigates safety concerns, harassment, and gender bias among South Asian teenagers in Hong Kong. While they are a fast-growing ethnic minority, comprising 1.4% of the population, they face disproportionate discrimination. Hong Kong is well known as a multicultural hub, yet statistics reveal that South Asians often encounter amplified microaggressions and gender-specific objectification. This paper highlights this growing problem in Hong Kong and demonstrates the urgent need for concrete action. A confidential survey of over 20 teens aged 16-18 (evenly split by gender), employed multiple-choice, scales, and open-ended questions to gather data. The responses were analyzed via descriptive statistics, graphs, and thematic coding. Key findings revealed that most respondents reported experiencing or witnessing harassment, with verbal abuse being the most common and occurring regularly rather than as isolated incidents. Moreover, 100% of respondents who faced harassment did not report, with many attributing this to stigma and distrust. Females consistently reported feeling less space, particularly in online spaces, and described objectification. While harassment was more frequently reported by females, male participants also indicated facing harassment, underscoring that the issue affects both genders. Furthermore, cultural norms often inhibited discussions regarding harassment. These results from this sample reveal systemic obstacles that may sustain exclusion, showing the need for change and inclusive intervention. This paper calls for immediate action to promote equality in Hong Kong's youth by amplifying these ignored voices to help build a truly equitable future.