Discrimination can take many forms; we’ve outlined some examples below and steps on how you can challenge and report it if it happens to you.
What is Discrimination?
Discrimination means treating someone unfairly because of a protected characteristic. A protected characteristic is a personal trait, such as ethnicity, which is protected under the following act. This means someone cannot lawfully discriminate against you because of your ethnic background.
Equality Act 2010
English Gypsies and Irish Travellers–Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised as two distinct ethnic minority groups in law because they are recognised as members of communities with a shared history, culture and language stretching back over hundreds of years. As such, they are granted the full protection of the Equality Act.
New Travellers – New Travellers are not a legally recognised ethnic minority group because their history only goes back to the early 1960s. However, all individuals and groups are granted protection under The Human Rights Act.
Types of Discrimination
Direct Discrimination
This happens when someone is openly treated unfairly because of a characteristic like ethnicity. For example, a pub putting up a sign that says “No Travellers.”
Indirect Discrimination
This happens when rules or policies unfairly affect a group. For example, when applying for housing a local authority may ask for a long address history that Gypsies and Travellers might not have due to travelling around.
How to report racism and hate crime
Police
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- Call 999 to report an ongoing crime or if someone is immediate danger.
- Call 101 for non-emergencies or contact your local police.
Report Racism GRT
A service run by and for Gypsy, Traveller, and Roma communities to report hate crimes. By using this reporting tool you are providing Report Racism GRT with evidence of discrimination against Gypsy, Roma, Travellers which can be put to government.
Website: Report Racism GRT
Tel: 07534 790984
True Vision
Supported by all police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, True Vision allows you to report hate crime online. There is now a section dedicated to reporting hate crime against Gypsies, Roma and Travellers.
Website: True Vision
Email: [email protected]
Victim Support
Victim Support offer a supportline, which operates 24/7 all year round, as well as a live chat service. They offer free guidance and advice to victims or witnesses of crime.
Website: Home – Victim Support
Tel: 08 08 16 89 111
Equality Advisory Support Service
If you have experienced discrimination from an organisation or institution then EASS may be able to assist you in making a complaint or challenging this.
Website: Equality Advisory Support Service
Tel: 0808 800 0082
Legal Help
Please see below our directory of contacts for solicitors specialising in discrimination law.
Services Directory – Friends, Families and Travellers (gypsy-traveller.org)
Race Hate Case Studies:
Case Study A
Client A called our national advice line after being refused service in a pub. The client had been to his local pub after the management had changed. He was told that they didn’t serve Irish Travellers because some Irish Travellers had previously been in a fight on the premises. There was no link between the people who had been involved in the fight and our client. When our client challenged the ban, he was informed that the police had advised the landlord to take this action.
We served the publican with an RR65 (Race Relations Questionnaire) and made a complaint to the police regarding their advice.
Case Study B
A client contacted our advice line after her daughter’s wedding was spoiled by the actions of hotel workers. The family had booked a large, expensive wedding with the hotel. It was booked well in advance and initially the hotel staff/manager/wedding coordinator were friendly and helpful. Then a wedding guest stayed in the hotel on other business and mentioned that they were coming back for a Gypsy wedding.
At the next meeting with the wedding coordinator they were asked outright if they were Gypsies. When they said yes the hotel came up with a list of further requirements that had not been in the original contract, including; additional security personnel, fencing around the marquee and an additional deposit against damages. The service they received was also affected; the bar was closed early, they were barred from the main dining room of the hotel for breakfast and staff members were generally rude to them.
We referred this case and it was taken on by the legal team of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Case Study C
A vulnerable homeless family were being supported by our outreach team. The mother was pregnant and one of the older children in care. They went from emergency B & B accommodation to housing. Neighbours in the new house were seriously racially abusive towards the family shouting ‘Pikey’ and smearing excrement on their door.
We supported the family to access police and victim support. We also assisted with getting the family rehoused.
Resources
Download the Friends, Families and Travellers Race Hate Crime poster.
Download Marc Willers’ article on tackling race hate speech.
If you are experiencing difficulties, please contact the Friends, Families and Travellers helpline on 01273 234 777. We are open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4.30pm excluding bank holidays.
Correct as of June 2024
