“The causes of racism are multiple. It can be caused not just by ignorance but also by arrogance; it can be caused by malice as well as by lazy assumptions.
While is some cases, the causes lay in attitudes and behaviour, in others, they lay within systems and institutions,”
The outgoing Race Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Tim Soutphommasane, has this week called for urgent action on measures to reduce racism at the launch of his final report before stepping down this week.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience racism in systemic and institutional ways.
In 2016, 46 per cent of Indigenous respondents reported experiencing prejudice in the previous six months, compared to 39 per cent for the same period two years before.
Thirty-seven per cent reported experiencing racial prejudice in the form of verbal abuse, and 17 per cent reported physical violence
In 2015-16, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accounted for 54 per cent of complaints received by the Commission under the Racial Discrimination Act.
Download report here Anti-Racism in 2018 and Beyond
” For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, systemic racism is bound up in historical disadvantage and mistreatment. Practices such as that of removing Aboriginal children from their families have caused huge amounts of hurt and pain for individuals, families and communities. This shows up in lots of different ways – poor health, high rates of mental illness and family breakdowns.”
See Section 2 Below
“On an individual level, exposure to racism is associated with psychological distress, depression, poor quality of life, and substance misuse, all of which contribute significantly to the overall ill-health experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Prolonged experience of stress can also have physical health effects, such as on the immune, endocrine and cardiovascular systems.”
Pat Anderson is chairwoman of the Lowitja Institute, (and a former chair of NACCHO) see her opinion article below link ” This article has been read over 22,000 times in past 4 years
NACCHO Aboriginal health and racism : What are the impacts of racism on Aboriginal health ?
“There is an underbelly of racism in this country, of ignorance, and of fear” Senator Pat Dodson responds to maiden senate speech by Senator Anning WATCH VIDEO
True or False? We fact-check Senator Fraser Anning on his comments regarding Muslims, crime and welfare. http://bit.ly/2PdDH8H
Human Rights Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Website
The Report, Anti-Racism in 2018 and Beyond, is part of the National Anti-Racism Strategy – a partnership-based strategy – which was launched in 2012.
Watch Video
Today’s report reveals the increasing need for strong anti-racism policies and leadership, given the rise of anti-immigration and far-right populism.
“Since 2015, race has dominated headlines and driven public debates in a way that many would not have anticipated when the National Anti-Racism Strategy was last evaluated,” said Dr Soutphommasane.
“Anti-racism efforts must give voice to the individuals and communities who experience it. Racial prejudice and discrimination have profound silencing effects on those who are their targets,” he said.
The Report looks at the multiple causes of racism and the need for organisations, communities and individuals to not only identify racism, but call it out and build strategies that change behaviours.
Dr Soutphommasane says each and every one of us can make a difference.
1.What is Racism
2. Who experiences racism
Many people experience racist behaviour.
The Challenging Racism Project has found that 20 per cent of Australians surveyed had experienced racial discrimination in the form of race hate talk, and about 5 per cent had been attacked because of their race. According to the Scanlon Foundation’s Mapping Social Cohesion survey in 2016, 20 per cent of Australians had experienced racial or religious discrimination during the past 12 months.
Some groups experience racism at higher rates. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those from culturally diverse backgrounds, often have to deal with systemic forms of discrimination. Such experiences limit the access that members of these groups enjoy to the opportunities and resources offered to many people from Anglo-Australian backgrounds.
For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, systemic racism is bound up in historical disadvantage and mistreatment. Practices such as that of removing Aboriginal children from their families have caused huge amounts of hurt and pain for individuals, families and communities. This shows up in lots of different ways – poor health, high rates of mental illness and family breakdowns.
Migrants and refugees also regularly experience racism, in particular those who have recently arrived. Media reports and commentary that use negative stereotypes about refugees and migrants can fuel prejudice against these groups in the wider community. These attitudes can make it difficult for new arrivals to find housing and jobs, and to feel connected to their communities.