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What Is Racism?

by Jo Rogers

RACE RELATIONS ACT 1976:WHICH MAKES IT ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY GYPSY OR TRAVELLER OF ANY EHTNIC ORIGIN.

A Racist incident is defined as any incident, which is perceived to be Racist by the victim or any other person.

This includes:

Physical violence, assaults and attacks

Harassment and bullying

Damage to property and graffiti

Hate mail and telephone calls

Displaying racist material

Verbal abuse and threats

Any one who thinks they have suffered racial discrimination has the right to take legal action in court or industrial tribunal.

Reporting racial discrimination

You can help
If you’re a victim of a racist incident or witness an incident, try to take as many details as possible while they are still fresh in your mind

Details such as

DATE AND TIME OF INCIDENT

WHERE THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE

IF POSSIBLE, A DISCRIPTION OF THOSE INVOLVED

DETAILS OF ANY WITNESSES

DETAILS OF ANY VEHICLES INVOLVED

THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT IT SELF

ALSO TRY TO REMEMBER

If the incident involves racist graffiti, do not remove and if possible try and photograph it

If it was verbal racist abuse, write down what is said.

If it involves racist written material, save any packing or envelopes and try not to handle it more than necessary

Telephone: also keep a log of

Time and date

And what was said

REPORTING IT

It is important to try and phone while the incident is taken place or very near after

Contact your local police station; make it clear that you perceive it to be a racial incident

When you make a complaint there will be an incident number, make sure they give you that number (this will make it easier to report anything concerning that incident on a later date (this will change for each incident reported)

Make sure you note the officers name and number that is dealing with your case

IF THE SITUATION IS ON GOING (for example HARASSMENT) KEEP A LOG OF ALL DETAILS TOGETHER

If you feel that your incident has not been dealt with properly here is a few other ways you can report it.

FIRSTLY ANY LETTERS WRITTEN ALWAYS GET SEVERAL PHOTO COPIES, KEEP AT LEAST TWO FOR YOUR OWN RECORDS

Write a letter to you local Chief Inspector as well as or head of Race /hate Crime unit

ALSO TO YOUR LOCAL RACE RELATIONS EQUALITY OFFICER (Which normally works for your local council

The race equality officer should be able to help you contact the right people in the police, they will also keep a log of any incident that you report to them (ask them to give you copies of those logs.

(It is probably better to notify your race relation officer as soon as the first incident takes place)

Send copies to the housing association (IF YOUR HAVING ANY ISSUES CONCERNING HOUSING

Also to the local Commissions of race equality, always make the above aware you have done this in your letters

Also to your local COUNCILOR AS WELL AS OR LOCAL MP

C.A.B (CITIZEN ADVISE BUREA)

NATIONAL GYPSY AND TRAVELLER GROUPS THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ADVISE YOU ON WHAT TO DO NEXT

WITH ALL THE RECORDS YOU HAVE, SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO GO TO A SOLICTIOR, INCLUDE ANY LETTERS YOU HAVE SENT TO THE POLICE, RACE EQUALITY OFFICER, ect

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET LEGAL AID IF YOUR ON BENEFITS

Dealing with schools

By law any racial incident that happens at school the schools are responsible to keep a log of each and every racially motivated incident, however this appears not to be happening a great deal, its best to report these incidents with the race relations officer or the education race relations officer your self as well as talking to a senior member of staff at the school, also make it quiet clear when speaking to a senior member of staff your intension of reporting it to the race equality officer and education race equality officer.

There should be an education race relation officer in your area, they also work at your local council ask your race relations officer to put you in touch with them

In most areas there is an education services for travelling children to find out who is in your area you can contact this number and they will give you the contact details
Telephone: 01902 714646 or fax: 01902 714202

Also keep a log

The reason you are attending the school

Date time and what teacher you spoke to

Write down the action that they said they was going to take, and how they said they would help you

In each school there should be a teacher that is also responsible for race relations.

If you are not happy with any result you can ask to see the school governors

You also have the right to complain to offstead

You can also report it to the police, as a racial incident is a racial incident that is a crime, even if it has happened on school premises.

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