Tackling discrimination and racism

Some suffer taunts on the streets whilst others live in fear of attacks on their homes, often following neighbourly disputes that have taken a turn for the worst.

But there are several agencies working hard to make sure residents aren't forced to suffer in silence and that the perpetrators of racist crimes get punished.

One such group is the Hounslow Racial Equality Council (HREC), an independent voluntary agency giving support to victims of racism and discrimination.

Specialist HREC officers, based on the second floor of the Treaty Centre, help by dispensing legal advice to those suffering abuse, with translators available if needed.

The group can also organise the installation of extra security measures, such as fireproof letter boxes, at the homes of those living in fear of attack.

Satvinder Buttar, director of HREC, said: "We are very focused on victims and we want to let people know that if they are suffering racism, they should report it to us."

Race crime can be anything from verbal threats or bullying to physical abuse and criminal damage. Offenders found guilty of shouting racist abuse at others can face a maximum of two years in jail while those committing criminal damage could be locked away for up to 14 years.

From April 2005 to March 2006, 456 incidents of racism were reported to HREC with 152 cases taken to the courts or other authorities.

And, between April and September this year, a further 292 people reported abuse, 78 of whom took the next step towards punishing their tormentors.

Mr Buttar explained a broad mix of people are victims of racism, not just those from ethnic minorities. He pointed to the fact that an increasing number of Eastern Europeans have started to seek help from HREC.

"All residents need to know that they can come to us whether they are white or black," he added.

Mark Green, community safety officer for hate crime at Hounslow Council, works with a large number of groups - including HREC - with the aim of reducing levels of racial harassment across the borough.

"For a number of years, Hounslow had the highest number of incidents reported in London," he said. "But since 2000 it has dropped off. In terms of police incidents, it has dropped to about half the level of what it was a few years ago. The peak was well over a thousand and now we are looking at around 500 to 600."

Mr Green said: "It is sad but true that race crime has always been underreported with many people fearful of coming forward, meaning that these figures do not give the full picture.

"But," he added, "we are doing good things. More people are being caught and more charges are being brought against perpetrators.

"There are still issues about reporting and whether victims are going to be believed or not, but the problems have always been there, about trust and confidence with other agencies and being able to tackle it properly."

At the start of September, in a bid to help improve levels of trust between the public and the police, Hounslow became only the second London borough to appoint an independent race crime outreach officer, following the example of Greenwich that first created this position in the wake of the 1993 murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

The Hounslow position went to Anna de Souza who had previously worked at the Home Office's race equality unit.

"I am totally independent from the police but I have the ability to liase with them and keep an eye on what they are doing with regards to the victims," Ms de Souza explained. "I can also access all the crime reports as soon as a racial incident comes in. I then contact the victims to see if they need additional support, advocacy, practical or emotional support. It's totally 100 per cent victim-focused.

"It's nice to bridge the gap between victims and the police to encourage more reporting of hate crime, particularly racist crime," she added.

Ms de Souza, who splits her time between HREC and the Police Community Safety Unit, said that man victims have been bolstered by her help and presence at their side.

"A lot of the time they just need a shoulder to cry on," she said. "They felt reassured by me coming along, because I was with them throughout the stages, they felt very grateful for that and said it encouraged them to be more vocal and to not be so scared of different organisations like the police."

Away from the efforts of Ms de Souza, agencies in Hounslow are undertaking other anti-racism work aimed at educating school children about the importance of treating people equally. Organisations such as the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust have also come onboard to help spread the message to their young members.

"Being able to get along with other human beings is a big part of getting on in life," Mr Green said. "The idea is that eventually this project will be rolled out across all schools in the borough so we can get to the children before they start committing those sort of offences."

Housing associations and social landlords - such as Hounslow Homes - are also helping by encouraging tenants to report racist tensions or arguments on their properties.

But Mr Green felt that there is still more that can be done to tackle the problems of racism. "You need to tackle what you could call white middle-class alienation. If you are seriously tackling racism in this country, you've got to be looking at these people having more of a voice. If you have got a lot of poor people, then that is rife to be exploited by extremist groups, whatever side of the fence they sit on."

Ms de Souza agreed: "It's about giving a voice to all members of the community so that they feel that they have an equal part in the society they live in."

- If you have been a victim of racism and want to report it, call the Hounslow Racial Equality Council on 020 8583 2525. If it is an emergency, call 999 to speak directly to the police.