► Experiences of
discrimination, criminal victimisation and policing grossly under-reported
High levels of discrimination, racist crime and victimisation
The ethnic minority and immigrant groups interviewed described high
levels of discriminatory treatment and criminal victimisation, including
racially motivated crime. Of the nine areas of discrimination in everyday
life looked at in the survey, discrimination in employment emerged as the most
significant area for discriminatory treatment. The results show that
discrimination in two main areas of life, namely education and employment, is
particularly problematic for some groups. This result is alarming as
education and paid employment hold the key to integration and social
inclusion, representing the ‘prerequisite’ for leading a dignified, free and
confident life.
Overwhelming majority do not report their experiences
The survey showed that the overwhelming majority of respondents did not report
their experiences of discrimination to an organisation or at the place where
it occurred. The same is true for assaults, threats and serious harassment:
the majority of respondents did not report their experience of victimisation
to the police. This means that thousands of cases of discrimination and
racist crime remain invisible, and are therefore not recorded by official
complaints and criminal justice data collection mechanisms.
What can policy-makers do about this?
- The data from this
survey offers the possibility to develop targeted and evidence-based
policy responses.
- Looking at specific
areas of discrimination, such as education, the results call for the
establishment of independent mechanisms for all schools and other
educational institutions for recording complaints in relation to
discrimination on the basis of ethnicity/immigrant background.
► Poor rights awareness
Vulnerable groups not informed about anti-discrimination
legislation
This survey provides evidence that the groups most vulnerable to
discrimination in the EU remain uninformed about legislation forbidding
discrimination against people on the basis of their ethnicity. On average,
43% of respondents (depending on the group and the area of discrimination)
thought that no anti-discrimination legislation existed, and a further 20%
were unsure. This demonstrates an urgent need to increase rights awareness
amongst vulnerable minorities.
Reasons for non-reporting
The main reason given by all respondents for not reporting discrimination
incidents was the belief that 'nothing would happen' as a
result of reporting. Another common reason for not reporting was lack of
knowledge about how to go about reporting. On average, 82% of those who were
discriminated against in the past 12 months did not report their most recent
experience of discrimination either at the place where it occurred or to a
competent authority.
What can policy-makers do about this?
- Push for a critical
assessment of implementation of the Racial Equality Directive
(2000/43/EC) ‘on the ground’.
- Invest resources to
make those who are vulnerable to discrimination aware of where they can
turn to for support and advice.
- Allocate resources to
organisations that offer assistance to people who have been discriminated
against.
- Encourage those who
have been discriminated against or harassed to report their experiences
to a competent authority in the knowledge that their complaints will be
taken seriously.