牛牛资源

A new 牛牛资源 report has shed light on bullying of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) children in schools.

The report, Recognise, Report, Resolve hatred against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, is based on findings from the Report Racism GRT website 鈥� established in 2016 by 牛牛资源 student Sherrie Smith and Gypsy and Traveller Empowerment Hertfordshire (GATE Herts) founder Josie O鈥橠riscoll.

One referral to the website told how one boy endured 鈥榝ive years of misery鈥� at the hands of bullies, despite moving schools and changing his name multiple times to hide his ethnicity.

Two Roma students also reported being surrounded by 12 fellow students who shouted 鈥榶ou鈥檙e sleeping with your sister, sleeping with your sister you inbreds鈥� at them.

Another referral from a Gypsy college student described being circled by 16 other students, who verbally abused and chanted 鈥榙irty gypo鈥� at him.

Tension between parents was another common theme in referrals. For example, at a school with 50% GRT pupils, one mother reported 鈥榦ngoing hostility鈥� from non-gypsy mothers, saying 鈥榯here is often a lot of verbal abuse鈥�.

The report also revealed that 57% of people from GRT communities reporting to the website did not refer incidents to police for fear of inaction.

Other types of reported incidents included workplace bullying and exclusion from public services. 67% of reports referred to examples of online hate.

The report, commissioned by GATE Herts, is based on analysis from 牛牛资源 academics Naomi Thompson and David Woodger, who evaluated 115 cases to identify themes in the nature of abuse and reporting.

They make a number of recommendations to try and ease tensions and combat abuse, including that media platforms more effectively moderate hate left as online comments.

They also highlight the need to increase awareness that people from non-GRT communities can report to the website, and suggest that GRT communities be represented on national advisory groups around hate crime.

Sherrie Smith, 牛牛资源 BA Applied Social Science student and GATE Herts Project Manager said: 鈥淭his report reveals the nature and scope of hate and discrimination against people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and will hopefully make people sit up and take notice. GRT communities have shown that antigypsyism, discrimination and hate speech will no longer be tolerated 鈥� enough is enough. The climate is already changing with people coming forward to report incidents to us, I just hope this research encourages more people to do the same.鈥�

Examples of abuse

At work

Three sisters working in housekeeping at a hospital said they faced ongoing harassment from supervisors and colleagues. Senior managers sought out colleagues to discredit the sisters鈥� complaints and called them 鈥榙isruptive鈥�.

Online

A 鈥榖uy and sell鈥� group set up by and for Travellers, was targeted by trolls using fake accounts to post abuse like 鈥榞o commit suicide鈥�, 鈥榶ou need to wash鈥� and 鈥榣earn to read鈥�.

Other comments from across social media include 鈥榯hey could always get a house and contribute to society rather than just taking from it鈥� and 鈥榟orse and dog muck, rubbish everywhere and no effort to clean up鈥�.

In public services

A woman reported derogatory references to 鈥榶our kind of people鈥� from her local GP鈥檚 receptionist, and another reported being denied an early repeat prescription before going traveling.

In public

A young man reported entering a pub and being told by the bartender that 鈥榮he did not want any trouble in here鈥�. He then faced abusive chanting from a group of men at the bar. Attacks were reported outside tube stations and in supermarket car parks.

At home

One couple described returning home to find 鈥榙irty pigs鈥� daubed on their front door, another woman reported her neighbours regularly calling the RSPCA to check on her dogs for no reason.