We are fortunate that we have the social, emotional, and legal resources to help us speak up, but there are many who can’t.
We are fortunate that we have the social, emotional, and legal resources to help us speak up, but there are many who can’t
On May 17, my brother, a female friend and I were racially abused and attacked as we walked home in north London. Our abuser’s rage was triggered by our not speaking in English and his abuse initially began with shouts of “this is England, speak in English”.
He followed us, threatening in graphic detail what ought to be done to “Pakis bitches”. Worried, we called 999 for assistance. Before the police could arrive, the abuser called my brother a “Paki c*nt,” hit out and ran away, still shouting racist abuse. The police, when they arrived, compounded our shock, disappointment and sadness with condescending, rude and intimidating behaviour.
Since then, hundreds have reached out to tell their own story, both of experiencing racist attacks in London as well as of the difficulties in reporting them. The sheer number of lived experiences suggests that despite the city’s ‘multicultural’ PR image, racist attacks continue to be a part of our lived experience, and the emotional, cultural, and structural difficulties in reporting help keep these invisible.
The attack demonstrated to me that reporting a hate crime requires immense mental stamina and extensive cultural, emotional and linguistic skills. Moreover, few second and third generation non-white Britons report hate crimes, accepting that these will not be taken seriously. This adds to the informal knowledge base amongst recent arrivals that law enforcement bodies do not take racial hate crimes seriously.
At the same time, many who are visiting or have recently moved to the country may not be familiar with the processes of reporting. Even I instinctively dialled 911 before remembering the correct number. The curt ‘ambulance or police’ initial response further threw me, and still makes me wonder how someone without requisite language skills or in a more vulnerable state would cope.
The police responded quickly to our call but their attitude flags up a second layer of difficulties in reporting a hate crime. The officers seemed to lack sensitivity training and understanding of the difficulties of reporting a hate crime and appeared resistant to acknowledging it as such. It was only our insistence on explaining our experience of racial abuse in detail that eventually led to registering our complaint.
Since then, it is only our persistence that seems to be pushing action on the case. Few victims, either non-white Britons or recent arrivals, and even fewer tourists, would be willing or able to continue against such structural resistance.
Amongst many who are in the UK on student, tourist, or even highly skilled visas, there is an additional fear that insisting on reporting a hate crime, and flagging up the institutional resistance to these, may result in being penalised by immigration authorities who may refuse to extend work visas, or reject a future application for such a ‘troublemaker’.
Furthermore, increasingly I see similarities between suffering racist abuse/attacks and sexual violence as both engender a deep sense of shame in the victim. The humiliation, shame, and agony of being reduced to one’s biology and then attacked for it, is often overwhelming for many victims.
Many of us who didn’t grow up in the West have an intellectual knowledge of racism but no personal experience. It can take us years to even begin articulating that we may be victims, or to even accept it can happen to us, that all our education, hard work, achievements can be rendered meaningless by biology. Often it is easier to not report a racist hate attack, if only to maintain the semblance of a human self.
Experience of racism also comes with a sense of victim-blaming, even by the victims themselves. Since the attack, many non-white Britons have told us that ‘this is normal’, and that they accept it as a part of their lives. They tell us the ‘precautions’ they take, including living in minority dominated areas, curtailing quotidian activities, and most importantly, ‘not making a fuss’.
In the past week, we have been negotiating this minefield of emotional trauma and institutional resistance. We are fortunate that we have the social, emotional, and legal resources to help us speak up but there are many who can’t. And that knowledge is the worst part of our recent ordeal.
Sunny Singh is a novelist and academic. Her new novel, Hotel Arcadia, will be published by Arcadia Books in 2015
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15 Responses to “Despite London’s multicultural image, racist attacks are still a reality”
globalcitizen2222
Racism in UK is very similar to racism in India……if u are rich either in India or UK…u will never face any racism.,,,if u are poor and dark then in UK there is a lot of racism …in India it depends ….but with money in both countries u can and will be treated like god….in fact Uk is way more money obsessed than India. I just find UK including london a very sad, grim and ugly place to live,,,its a depressing country and only very desperate poor or very desperate rich want to live in UK now…most normal people would never live or visit UK….and in fact even most normal British cant wait to retire and leave the Uk for good,
globalcitizen2222
Ive read the entire detail of this person tweeting this incident …it happened when this group was walking late night after a dancing and drinking session at club kali…an asian gay club in tuffnell park. First of all walking late night anywhere in the world means inviting trouble – sorry but after some initial research it seems the author of this article is obsessed with racism in UK and might be exaggerating a bit…i am indian too and have faced racism too..but i dont walk around alone at nights in places where it could be racist. Uk is a bad country for many reasons…no culture…broken society…too much violence and crime…so obviously it is expected to be racist. My question to other Indians like Sunny Singh…if u are so bothered by racism then why live in Uk…why not leave it (like i did) and move to india or another country where u are better accepted? Fact is these indians dont want to move…but they want to sit and complain…it isnt easy for cultures to mix anywhere…and try going to the police in india for a similar issue!!!!
Studentoflife
Two wrong doesnt make it right globalcitizen2222. U have missed the point. Writer is just putting an observation.
Max
So your saying Brits are racist and are entitled to be so and if people that are born here or from another country, who poor and dark skinned should accept. You are pathetic excuse for a human being and bring shame on descent British folk that do nor going around attacking people due to their colour or creed. Being attacked by a racist thug is not being obssesed with racism. It is reality. Quite clear you are idiot.
Max
So what are u saying 1000’s of racist attacks in UK are made up because non whites are making it up due to being over sensitive. So you would have us believe in ur wharped sense of reality all individuals without CCTV footage and a pocket diary and independent witnesses is a liar and be accused of making up bogus articles. Yes we all know that no one is ever violently attacked or abused in the streets of the UK how could anyone ever suggest such a thing? Or is it you are one of them hence your denial.? Idiot !