Understanding Racism in Australia: Insights from CALL.IT.OUT Annual Report 2023-24

CALL IT OUT Annual Report 2023-24 If you don t think racism exists take a walk with me

The extent of the problem (as reported to Call It Out) Overall numbers 453 validated reports One third were self-reports by First Nations persons directly experiencing racism (31%) The remainder were lodged by First Nations and other witnesses of racism (62%) or friends/relatives (7%). This is once again anundercount, statistically, of the level of racism experienced. Stories more clearly evidenced the extent of this problem e.g., it s historical, contemporary and ongoing. Three incidents in the last 24 hours. I thought I would just stick to them. (Self-Report) this is just one drop of the storm that we feel all the time. (Self-report) Online hatred that aligns with the oldest of colonial perspectives about First Nations people reinforces my belief that a significant portion of Australia will always be racist. (Self-Report)

What was reported types of racism Common types reported were negative attitudes/stereotyping (23%), discrimination (15%), hate speech (13%) and not recognizing cultural rights (11%). Racism is multi-layered (around 75% of reports identified multiple types of racism, including for single incidents) and very broad in scope. Stereotyping is often present. Discrimination, for e.g., includes dismissal and denial of racism, past and present, and its impacts. o Responses to sharing of Call It Out Let s just stick together and be proud Australians Racism towards any race is unacceptable. Especially towards white people because I am personally white (Witness report) o Denial of racial harms of colonisation you know the convicts that were sent over to Australia, I reckon they were as traumatized by the Monarchy and the Crown just as much as Aborigines were traumatized by colonisation (Self-report)

Institutional racism Institutional racism significant undercount, again. 9% as type of racism , 15% for how the incident was experienced or witnessed and 22% identified government/private institutions as location for racism. Systems or institutions treating Aboriginal people differentlyor the same (including as law, policy and practice). Knowing how the health system, working in collaboration with child protection and police, operates to systematically surveil and discriminate against First Nations people raising children, I feel instantly tense. I know I need to be careful. (Self-report) Includes actions of individuals as part of patterns of behaviour across institution (e.g. policing) or institutional failure to eliminate racism perpetrated by individuals. Given each incident has been perpetuated by a different child, I consider the problem school wide , requiring a school wide response that explains what intergenerational trauma is, what racism is, and the impact of the two. The school has only ever pointed to its anti-bullying policies but refused to directly address my two requests. Nor has the school ever apologised to or acknowledged it with my son ... (Friend or relative report)

Types of racism Cultural rights denigrated or ignored: e.g., return of stolen artefacts. Such trinkets would have been freely given . Hilarious that we are supposed to pretend that this ephemera is sacred (Witness report) Racial inequality for Indigenous people today (breaches of their human rights) is linked to past and ongoing breaches of Indigenous rights to land, self-determination, culture etc. [Terra Nullius led to] failure to recognise the legal legitimacy, law and values of the Ancient moral constitution of the Original First Nations people s Sovereignty and human rights and their entitlement to racial legal equality. (Self-report) Aggressive racism: physical violence, verbal abuse, property damage, hate speech, bullying, threats and intimidation (35%) includes by police. I was walking to work in the morning Up ahead there was a young First Nations boy in his mid-teens messing around with a Lime scooter. A White man in his 50s approached and grabbed the scooter out of his hands and threw it. He was really aggressive and scary. He called the kid a 'black cunt' and walked off. (Witness report)

Nowhere to hide from racism: location Racism happens everywhere: e.g., while dining out, over a backyard fence, in family conversations, in laws and policies made by those in power. Most common location was online/media (32% overall (42% of witness reports)), followed by public places (13%). I also feel discriminated against and singled out by what the Council has been saying and the media reporting. [They] use the term "antisocial behaviour" but what they really mean is Aboriginal people being on the streets [They] provide no place for people to sit in the shade, access toilets and a drink of water, instead using the police and security staff to chase them away, resulting in anger, frustration and conflict - all blamed on Aboriginal people. (Self-report) Workplaces were the most common location for self-reports (20% for self-reports, 12% overall). I m constantly being asked to provide education on the impacts of colonisation to [other staff] who have no interest in hearing what I have to say. I have been met with blatant contempt, obvious signs such as eye rolls, sighs and people turning away from me. (Self-report) As an Aboriginal person (who has nowhere to hide from racism) receiving a letter of hate in our own place, our organisation, a place where we belong was absolutely disgusting and made us feel (again) like subhuman. (Self-report)

Victims and perpetrators A high proportion are perpetrators are unknown (27%), with males also more likely to be identified as perpetrators (42%, c.f. 30% (women)). NO template for a racist. Perpetrators are, e.g., normal looking people tramming home from work , young girls serving coffee , white manager at work to a politician who trades in dangerous misinformation and lies - of all ages and backgrounds. Victims more commonly identified as female (e.g., 60% of self-reports are women, 36% men) and all ages are targeted, with 19% of reports involving young victims. As a child growing up in the Pilbara (Western Australia) being one of only two Aboriginal families amongst predominantly white families experiencing racism was hell. Every waking hour I was verbally abused by children my classMATES. There would be a group of boys about 5 who were my age that would wait for me at the bottom of the stairs every recess and lunch time just to take turns punching me on same arm every day calling me BOONG COON ROCK APE NIGGA until they were satisfied. Self-report

Emotional and health impacts Most common emotional response was anger (19%), followed by disappointment (16%), and sadness (11%). I avoided going to the places where those incidents happened for months. I was very angry that I had no control over what had happened and might happen again (Self-report) Other responses include isolation, distrust, feeling unsafe and health impacts were significant. I just think I m now at the point of disengaging more and going out less who would want to be with someone that experiences this type of treatment constantly? it s easier for everyone if I m alone (Self-report) the extent of the gaslighting floored me and the organisational attitude that stemmed from it, i.e. that I am stupid and a liar, made me feel unsafe in a way I never have before because I couldn t fight it. (Self-report) The recent incidents have impacted me to the point where I did try to take my life and was hospitalised for it (Self-report)

Responses to racism Emotional responses included 17% who were motivated to bring about change and/or felt solidarity with those experiencing racism. I have been in an ongoing process with my workplace to work on an anti-racism policy and to redress the impact it has had on me in my work. (Self-report) This incident has taken a toll on my mental health, but it has also made me want to fight harder to make Australia a culturally safe place. (Self-report) Most common response was talk with family and friends (34%). But other proactive responses were also fairly frequently reported: 16% verbally defended themselves/another, 6% went to anti-discrimination body and 3%to police. Other responses (21%) also identified reports to unions, online platforms etc. Calling it out is a preferred response, including as it increases accountability and brings about change for others. I feel a lot of pressure to speak up and be a voice and represent the communities needs but don t feel safe to do so which makes me shame and not strong enough for the job I ve taken on (Self-report)

Barriers to calling out racism As a response, 10% felt that nothing could be done about racism and 9% did nothing as they didn t know what to do. Likelihood of not achieving anything, at best: e.g., complaints processes hard to navigate, or little understanding of racism, its impacts and legal and other obligations to not perpetrate it. I m sorry mate, I can t go walking around on eggshells worrying about what I say (Self- report) Nobody s interested. Nobody s bothered. Nobody cares (Witness report) At worst, repercussions and/or impacts of racism are exacerbated. I just got refused service in a [retail location] in Perth for not listening to the shopkeeper s position on why Aboriginal people are all on drugs and should get over what happened 100 years ago . (Self-report) Fear and power I didn t overly challenge him cos we were alone in a car out in whoop-whoop, he was also my supervisor for the day and also, I don t know what his level of reactivity is. (Self-report)

Combatting racism Strategies need to be multi-layered; e.g., education about First Nations culture/history and how to ID and stand up to racism. .. just makes me feel like there s so far to go with educating people about the true history of our people and Country. (Self-report) Accountability and responsibility, including via legal protection and sanctions (30%, in combination). The moderators either allow, are complicit or leave the topics and posts up permanently or long enough to cause social harm. (Witness report) I strongly believe that in the case of Police, a Civilian Committee of Oversight is required to oversee all complaints about police and deaths in custody. This needs to include respected Indigenous Elders. (Friend or relative report) Political solutions, including sovereign, autonomous governance (Self-report)