1. Responding to Racism During the COVID
Responding to Racism During the COVID-19 Outbreak
COVID-19 Fact Sheet-1 October 2020
Moments of crisis like the times we are living in spark important reflection, but they must also spark action. The impact of racism and the resulting inequality can be seen far beyond these moments and in the everyday experiences of many black people in the UK. Which is why we must do more to stand with the communities which are hurting right now, and work against racism and inequality every day.
If you have been the victim of racism, some suggestions for you to cope include:
-Recognize experiences of racism are real and not you being “oversensitive” Racism is a persistent social problem, and if you feel you have been targeted by prejudice and discrimination, it is important to recognize that these are real issues that take a toll on your physical and mental wellbeing. You can also emphasize taking moments to care for yourself and others when hurt by discrimination and remember that you have the right to be seen, welcomed, supported, served, and helped.
–Recognize the strength of your communities and reject attacks on your values. Communities of color and immigrants hold many strengths, including the strengths of your cultural values and social contributions. Identify and elect to receive information sources and communities that offer accurate, sensitive information on the outbreak.
–Hold together in solidarity. Supporting one another can help your communities utilize their strengths in the face of racism. During these times, racist individuals and systems may attempt to drive your communities apart, holding some actions and communities as “better” (e.g., the “Model Minority”) while rejecting others. Find ways to connect when practicing social distancing, such as through social media groups and other virtual communities. Stand together in the fight against racism to anyone.
-Connect to resources from your community. Sharing and utilizing resources, such as the one linked here, can help you find support from others experiencing similar struggles. These psychologists offer other suggestions for communal support.
Racism is an issue we must all address, not just individuals engaging in racist acts and the victims of racism. Thus, those of us who aren’t being targeted can support those facing discrimination by:
–Calling out racist comments and acts when you see them. This can feel uncomfortable if you are not used to doing this, but saying something like, “This virus is not connected to a country or a specific group of people – calling it that puts Asian people at risk and is unnecessarily harmful” can be helpful. Online, you can provide links to accurate information, and report the comments to moderation staff.
-Interrupt racism, such as by creating distance between the person making racist comments or actions and the victim. This can look like physically or verbally distracting or blocking those using slurs, as you feel you are able to safely do so.
-Notice when you have engaged in actions that maintain discrimination and prejudice. Silence and inaction, such as not doing anything when someone uses a slur or makes a racist joke, maintains the racism by allowing unjust and discriminatory actions and systems to continue.
If you notice you have acted in a harmful way, find ways to apologize without excusing your actions (or inactions), and make personal commitments to correct the situation individually and engage in social action.
-Offer support to individuals facing discrimination and ask permission to act on their behalf. This can look like offering to speak to others about the discrimination or to write letters or report the discrimination. It can also involve listening to people expressing their pain and hurt and making sure to validate that pain and the reality and injustice of their racist experiences.
-Support Asian communities economically and socially. This includes but is not limited to donating to local community and mutual aid organizations, as well as shopping at businesses owned by Asians, especially restaurants (both now and in the future), which have been particularly vulnerable to health-related attacks. Ordering take-out from Chinese-restaurants is one concrete way to counter this injustice.
-Find ways to connect to the sense of caring and concern for others you feel now and create reminders for continuing to help later. This may include: practicing empathy for all, educating those in your social circles, posting relevant articles on social media, remembering that it is especially important to also be caring for yourself physically and mentally, and remembering these perspectives when this immediate crisis is over.
2. What are hate incidents and hate crime
What are hate incidents and hate crime?
COVID-19 Fact Sheet- week-3 December 2020
Hate incidents and hate crime are acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are or who someone thinks they are.
For example, you may have been verbally abused by someone in the street because you’re disabled or someone thought you were gay.
If you’ve experienced a hate incident or hate crime you can report it to the police.
Read this page to find out more about hate incidents and hate crime.
What are hate incidents?
The police and Crown Prosecution Service have agreed a common definition of hate incidents.
They say something is a hate incident if the victim or anyone else think it was motivated by hostility or prejudice based on one of the following things:
- disability
- race
- religion
- transgender identity
- sexual orientation.
This means that if you believe something is a hate incident it should be recorded as such by the person you are reporting it to. All police forces record hate incidents based on these five personal characteristics.
Anyone can be the victim of a hate incident. For example, you may have been targeted because someone thought you were gay even though you’re not, or because you have a disabled child.
Other personal characteristics
Some police forces also record hate incidents based on other personal characteristics such as age.
In particular, Greater Manchester Police now recognises alternative sub-culture hate incidents. These are incidents based on someone’s appearance and include Goths, Emos, Punks and other similar groups. This means they will also record any such incidents as a hate incident.
What type of incidents can be a hate incident?
Hate incidents can take many forms. Here are examples of hate incidents:
- verbal abuse like name-calling and offensive jokes
- harassment
- bullying or intimidation by children, adults, neighbours or strangers
- physical attacks such as hitting, punching, pushing, spitting
- threats of violence
- hoax calls, abusive phone or text messages, hate mail
- online abuse for example on Facebook or Twitter
- displaying or circulating discriminatory literature or posters
- harm or damage to things such as your home, pet, vehicle
- graffiti
- arson
- throwing rubbish into a garden
- malicious complaints for example over parking, smells or noise.
When is a hate incident also a hate crime?
When hate incidents become criminal offences they are known as hate crimes. A criminal offence is something which breaks the law of the land.
Any criminal offence can be a hate crime if it was carried out because of hostility or prejudice based on disability, race, religion, transgender identity or sexual orientation.
When something is classed as a hate crime, the judge can impose a tougher sentence on the offender under the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
Incidents which are based on other personal characteristics, such as age and belonging to an alternative subculture, are not considered to be hate crimes under the law. You can still report these, but they will not be prosecuted specifically as hate crimes by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Examples of hate crimes
Here are examples of hate crimes:
- assaults
- criminal damage
- harassment
- murder
- sexual assault
- theft
- fraud
- burglary
- hate mail (Malicious Communications Act 1988)
- causing harassment, alarm or distress (Public Order Act 1986).
What can you do about a hate incident or crime?
If you’ve experienced a hate incident or crime you can report it to the police. You can also report a hate incident or crime even if it wasn’t directed at you. For example, you could be a friend, neighbour, family member, support worker or simply a passer-by.
When reporting the incident or crime you should say whether you think it was because of disability, race, religion, transgender identity, sexual orientation or a combination of these things. This is important because it makes sure the police record it as a hate incident or crime.
If you’re worried about the police not taking you seriously
You may be unsure whether the incident is a criminal offence, or you may think it’s not serious enough to be reported. However, if you are distressed and want something done about what happened, it’s always best to report it. Although, the police can only charge and prosecute someone when the law has been broken, there are other things the police can do to help you deal with the incident.
It’s also important to keep in mind that some hate crimes start as smaller incidents which may escalate into more serious and frequent attacks – so it’s always best to act early.
If you’re being repeatedly harassed, should you report all the incidents?
If you’ve experienced hate crime, it may have been just one isolated incident. But sometimes, you may be repeatedly harassed by the same person or group of people.
It’s best to report all the hate incidents you experience to help the police get the full picture. If you’re in this situation, it may be a good idea to keep a record of the incidents to help you when you contact the police.
3. Problems Reporting a Hate Incident or Hate Crime
Problems reporting a hate incident or hate crime
COVID-19 Fact Sheet-2 October 2020
When you report an incident or a crime, the police may not treat it specifically as a hate incident or a hate crime. If you’re not getting the response you were hoping for, it can make you feel as if the police are not taking your concerns seriously. Read this page to find out what you can do if you’re having problems when reporting a hate incident or hate crime.
What can you do if the police won’t accept something as a hate incident?
If you tell the police you think something is hate incident, they should record it as such. It doesn’t matter if the police officer dealing with the matter perceives it differently. You don’t have to show evidence of prejudice or hostility to report a hate incident. However, when the police investigate the incident they will have to find evidence of prejudice or hostility to charge the offender with a hate crime. The Crown Prosecution Service, who are responsible for prosecuting offenders, will also have to show this evidence in front of the judge when the case goes to court. So, not every case which is reported will go to court. And even when a case goes to court, the offender may not be found guilty. If you’re unhappy about the way the police have dealt with your case, you may want to make a complaint. You can complain in person at the police station or contact your local police force. You can also contact your local Professional29/10/2020 Problems reporting a hate incident or hate crime – Citizens Advice https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/hate-crime/problems-reporting-a-hate-incident-or-hate-crime. Standards Department. Many local police forces also have online complaints forms. Your local Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to help if you are unhappy with the response you receive from the police.
The police are treating the incident as anti-social behaviour Some acts of anti-social behaviour are also hate incidents.
However, hate incidents are not the same as anti-social behaviour. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 defines anti-social behaviour as acting in a way that causes or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to someone else. This includes aggressive, intimidating or destructive activity that damages or destroys another person’s quality of life. Hate incidents happen because of hostility or prejudice based on disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity. So, where acts of anti-social behaviour are motivated by hostility or prejudice, they become hate incidents. The police should therefore treat them as hate incidents rather than anti-social behaviour. Sometimes hate incidents can be dealt with effectively using anti-social behaviour measures. However, where the behaviour is criminal, the police should always consider whether it’s a hate crime, or crime of any sort, and deal with it accordingly.
What can you do if you’re unhappy with the police’s response?
When you report a hate incident, the police will have to decide whether it’s a criminal offence. The police can only charge the perpetrator if a criminal offence has been committed. They also have to find evidence of hostility or prejudice to treat the offence as a hate crime. Problems reporting a hate incident or hate crime – Citizens Advice https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/hate-crime/problems-reporting-a-hate-incident-or-hate-crime After investigating, the police may decide not to charge the suspect if they consider there’s not enough evidence. If the police charge a suspect, it’s the Crown Prosecution Service who decide whether to prosecute or not. If you’re unhappy about the way the police has handled your case you can make a complaint.
You can complain in person at the police station or contact your local police force. You can also contact your local police Professional Standards Department – you should find their contact details on your local police force’s website. Many local police forces also have online complaints forms.
Your local Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to help if you are unhappy with the response you receive from the police. Discrimination claim If you feel the police has treated you unfairly – for example, by not dealing with your case appropriately – you may also have a discrimination claim under the Equality Act 2010. It’s unlawful for the police to discriminate against you in their work because of certain characteristics – for example, because of your race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and disability.
4. Racism and Building Relationship
Responding to Racism During the COVID-19 Outbreak
COVID-19 Fact Sheet-4 October 2020
REDUCING RACISM THROUGH BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES.
Make a conscious decision to establish friendships with people from other cultures
Making a decision is the first step. In order to build relationships with people different from yourself, you have to make a concerted effort to do so. There are societal forces that serve to separate us from each other. People from different economic groups, religions, ethnic groups, and races are often isolated from each other in schools, jobs, and neighborhoods. So, if we want things to be different, we need to take active steps to make them different.
Put yourself in situations where you will meet people of other cultures; especially if you haven’t had the experience of being a minority, take the risk.
One of the first and most important steps is to show up in places where you will meet people of cultures other than your own. Go to meetings and celebrations of groups whose members you want to get to know. Or hang out in restaurants and other gathering places that different cultural groups go. You may feel embarrassed or shy at first, but your efforts will pay off. People of a cultural group will notice if you take the risk of coming to one of their events. If it is difficult for you to be the only person like yourself attending, you can bring a buddy with you and support each other in making friends. At these events, it is important to participate, but make sure you do not become the center of the event in order to lift up the voices and actions of the people leading the event.
Ask people questions about their cultures, customs, and views
People, for the most part, want to be asked questions about their lives and their cultures. Many of us were told that asking questions was nosy; but if we are thoughtful, asking questions can help you learn about people of different cultures and help build relationships. People are usually pleasantly surprised when others show interest in their cultures. If you are sincere and you can listen, people will tell you a lot.
Read about other people’s cultures and histories
It helps to read about and learn about people’s cultures and histories. If you know something about the reality of someone’s life and history, it shows that you care enough to take the time to find out about it. It also gives you background information that will make it easier to ask questions that make sense.
However, you don’t have to be an expert on someone’s culture to get to know them or to ask questions. People who are, themselves, from a culture are usually the best experts, anyway.
Don’t forget to care and show caring
It is easy to forget that the basis of any relationship is caring. Everyone wants to care and be cared about. Caring about people is what makes a relationship real. Don’t let your awkwardness around cultural differences get in the way of caring about people.
Listen to people tell their stories
If you get an opportunity to hear someone tell you her life story first hand, you can learn a lot–and build a strong relationship at the same time. Every person has an important story to tell. Each person’s story tells something about their culture.
Listening to people’s stories, we can get a fuller picture of what people’s lives are like–their feelings, their nuances, and the richness of their lives. Listening to people also helps us get through our numbness– there is a real person before us, not someone who is reduced to stereotypes in the media.
Risk making mistakes
As you are building relationships with people who have different cultural backgrounds than your own, you will probably make mistakes at some point. That happens. Don’t let the fear of making mistakes keep you from going ahead and building relationships.
If you say or do something that is insensitive, you can learn something from it. Ask the affected person what bothered or offended them, apologize, and then go on in building the relationship. Don’t let guilt bog you down.
Learn to be an ally
One of the best ways to help you build relationships with people of different cultures is to demonstrate that you are willing to take a stand against discrimination when it occurs. People will be much more motivated to get to know you if they see that you are willing to take risks on their behalf.
We also have to educate ourselves and keep informed so that we understand the issues that each group faces and we become involved in their struggles–instead of sitting on the sidelines and watching from a distance. Educate yourself about other cultures by doing your own research, don’t ask others to do it for you.
5. Racist and Religious Hate Crimes
RACISM
COVID-19 Fact Sheet-3 October 2020
Racist and religious hate crime
What are racist or religious hate incidents?
Something is a racist or religious hate incident if the victim or anyone else thinks it was carried out because of hostility or prejudice based on race or religion.
This means that if you believe something is a hate incident, it should be recorded as such by the person you are reporting it to.
Who can be the victim of a racist and religious hate incident?
Anyone can be the victim of a racist or religious hate incident. For example, someone may wrongly believe you’re part of a certain racial group. Or someone may target you because of your partner’s religion.
What does racial or religious group mean?
A racial group means a group of people who are defined by reference to their race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin. This includes:
- Gypsies and Travellers
- refugees and asylum seekers
- Jews and Sikhs
A religious group means a group of people who share the same religious belief such as Muslims, Hindus and Christians. It also includes people with no religious belief at all.
What type of incidents can be a racist or religious hate incident?
Racist or religious hate incidents can take many forms including:
- verbal and physical abuse
- bullying
- threatening behaviour
- online abuse
- damage to property.
It can be a one-off incident or part of an ongoing campaign of harassment or intimidation.
Hate incidents are not only carried out by strangers. It could be carried out by a carer, a neighbour, a teacher or someone you consider a friend.
When is a racist or religious hate incident also a hate crime?
When racist or religious hate incidents become criminal offences, they are known as hate crimes. Any criminal offence can be a racist or religious hate crime, if the offender targeted you because of their prejudice or hostility based on race or religion.
There are two main types of racist and religious hate crime:
- racially or religiously aggravated offences under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
- any other offences for which the sentence can be increased under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 if they are classed as a hate crime
In both cases, when a criminal offence is classed as a racist or religious hate crime, the judge can impose a tougher sentence on the offender.
Remember, the incident you’ve suffered may still be a crime even if it’s difficult to show it was carried out because of hostility based on race or religion.
What can you do about a racist or religious hate incident?
If you’ve experienced a hate incident or crime you can report it to the police. You can also report a hate incident or crime even if it wasn’t directed at you. For example, you could be a friend, neighbour, family member, support worker or simply a passer-by.
If you’re being repeatedly harassed by the same person or group of people it’s best to report all the incidents to help the police get the full picture.
When reporting the incident or crime you should say you think it was motivated by hostility or prejudice based on race or religion.
6. Sexual Orientation and Transgender Identity Hate Crimes
Sexual orientation and transgender identity hate crime
COVID-19 Fact Sheet-5 October 2020
If someone has been violent or hostile towards you because of your sexual orientation, this is known as a homophobic hate incident.
Hostile or violent incidents because of your transgender identity are known as transphobic hate incidents.
Hate incidents can happen anywhere. Sometimes you may know the person who attacked you, but often hate incidents are carried out by strangers.
Read this page to find out more about homophobic or transphobic hate crime and incidents and what you can do about it.
What is a homophobic or transphobic hate incident?
Something is a homophobic or transphobic hate incident if the victim or anyone else thinks it was carried out because of hostility or prejudice based on sexual orientation or transgender identity.
This means that if you believe something is a hate incident, it should be recorded as this by the person you are reporting it to.
Sexual orientation and transgender identity refer to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT).
Who can be the victim of a homophobic or transphobic hate incident?
Anyone can be the victim of a homophobic or transphobic hate incident.
You can be the victim of a homophobic or transphobic hate incident if someone believes you’re a LGBT person even though you’re not. You can also be the victim of a hate incident because of your association with members of the LGBT communities.
What type of incidents can be a homophobic or transphobic hate incident
Homophobic and transphobic hate incidents can take many forms including:
- verbal and physical abuse
- physical violence
- teasing
- bullying
- threatening behaviour
- online abuse
- damage to property.
It can be a one-off incident or part of an ongoing campaign of harassment or intimidation.
Hate incidents are not only carried out by strangers. It could be carried out by a carer, a neighbour, a teacher or someone you consider a friend.
When is a homophobic or transphobic hate incident also a hate crime?
When a homophobic or transphobic hate incident becomes a criminal offence, it’s known as a hate crime. There are no specific homophobic or transphobic hate crimes. Any criminal offence can be a hate crime, if the offender targeted you because of their prejudice or hostility against LGBT people.
When someone is charged with a homophobic or transphobic hate crime, the judge can impose a tougher sentence on the offender under the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
Remember, the incident you’ve suffered may still be a crime even if it’s difficult to show it was carried out because of hostility based on sexual orientation or transgender identity.
What you can do about a homophobic or transphobic hate incident or crime?
If you’ve experienced a homophobic or transphobic hate incident or crime you can report it to the police. You can also report a hate incident or crime even if it wasn’t directed at you. For example, you could be a friend, neighbour, family member, support worker or simply a passer-by.
If you’re being repeatedly harassed by the same person or group of people, it’s best to report all the hate incidents you experience to help the police get the full picture.
When reporting the incident or crime you should say you think it was motivated by hostility or prejudice based on sexual orientation or transgender identity.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.