Report Racism and Discrimination

Discrimination can mean:

• Treating someone unfairly because of a protected characteristic.
• A protected characteristic is a personal trait, such as:
  • Ethnicity.
  • Sexuality.
  • Disability.
  • Sex and gender.

This means someone cannot lawfully discriminate against you because of these characteristics. 

What law protects me from racism and discrimination?

• The Equality Act 2010 protects people from being treated unfairly because of who they are.
• This includes your protected characteristics, which we mentioned in the section above.

Are Travellers included in the Equality Act?

• Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are included.
• They are recognised as two distinct ethnic minority groups in law.
• This is 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 are not a legally recognised ethnic minority group.
• This is because their history only goes back to the early 1960s.
• But all individuals and groups are granted protection under The Human Rights Act.

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.
• Gypsies and Travellers might not have this because of travelling around.

Reporting hate crime

Police

• • Call 999 to report an ongoing crime or if someone is immediate danger.
  • Call 101 for non-emergencies or contact your local police.

Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS)

• Service: If you have experienced discrimination from an organisation or institution:
  • EASS may be able to assist you in making a complaint or challenging this.
• Phone: 0808 800 0082:
  • Open Monday to Friday: 09.00am to 07.00pm.
  • Saturday: 10.00am to 02.00pm.

Report Racism GRT

• 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.
• Phone: 07534 790984.

True Vision

• Service: 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 here.
• Email: [email protected].

Victim Support 

• Service: 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.
• Phone: 08 08 16 89 111.

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Making a complaint

• If a service or business have been racist to you, you can make an official complaint.
• Examples of racism could be:
  • Refusing you service based on your race.
  • Using derogatory language.
  • Saying things like 'Because you're a Traveller'.
• You will first need to make a complaint through the company, usually on their website.
• Once it is investigated internally you can then go through the Financial Ombudsman.
  • It may lead to compensation, an official apology or change of policy.
• If you want to take it further you can also find solicitors specialising in discrimination law here.

Extra info

• Download the Friends, Families and Travellers Race Hate Crime poster here.
• Download Marc Willers' article on tackling race hate speech here.