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Hate crime, young people and Fearless.org
Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, talks about his own experience of hate crime, and what we can all do about it.
Just before Christmas, I endured an unnerving hate crime outside my home in Scotland, a country I have found to be warm and welcoming to myself and my family.
Two words, which I won’t repeat, were scratched into my car, and their hateful, racist intent were clear.
I couldn’t tell my children, but I wasn’t going to remain silent. In the past few years, hate crimes have killed here in the UK. The death of Labour MP Jo Cox is one horrific example. The cost of not reporting hate crime can be fatal, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
Hate crime is a terrible thing. We should live in a society where people feel valued, regardless of where they are from.
Unfortunately, the reality is that just because of who we are, we can come across this kind of abuse. It shows that no matter who you are, how integrated you feel, racism will follow.
However, it is not something any of us should keep quiet about. It is important to raise awareness of hate crime, to help ourselves and others in the same situation.
Language matters. I know that conflict doesn’t begin with bullets and bombs. Conflict starts with words.
To see First Minister Nicola Sturgeon condemning the abuse was huge, and the outpouring of support from friends, colleagues and strangers showed me the value of leadership, community, hope and resilience. But we must not get complacent.
Hate crime is different for everyone. I would like to remind people fleeing conflict that you do not have to put up with it, no matter how miniscule it seems compared to what you may have experienced before. It doesn’t matter where you come from, you have to challenge it. However, I do understand that that is easier said than done.
Young people, particularly New Scots, are in a vulnerable position, displaced and trying to integrate in new communities where they feel like an outsider. If they witness a hate crime, or any crime, they may not know how to report it, or may be wary of approaching the police, and will be trying not to rock the boat as they seek stability in their new home.
Fearless is a valuable tool for young people to report crime completely anonymously. You can do it in your own language, anonymously, and it could prevent small problems from becoming much bigger.
I am very grateful for my community around me and I know that hate crime is not representative of all of society, but it’s up to all of us to call it out when we see it.
