Description
The project aims at broadening the scope of the existing network for recording incidents of racist violence in all its manifestations. The role of migrants in the recording process has been limited so far. This project will encourage migrants' active participation in the recording process. The migrants will be able to a) identify the victims, b) better explain to them that what happened is a crime, c) be linked more systematically and actively with existing network log. There is an urgent need to develop a basic strategic framework for tackling the problem of racist violence. The ultimate goal is to develop a permanent and sustainable structure and methodology, using the existing capabilities of Greece or equivalent European experience. The project is a partnership between the Greek Forum of Migrants and the Norwegian Centre Against Racism.
Summary of project results
The "normalization" of aggressive behavior and abusive speech to people who are "different" in Greek society, such as immigrants, homosexuals, Roma, has contributed to the increase in violence against minority groups. There is currently no institutional or non-institutional structure for recording such acts, except for the Racist Violence Recording Network (
www.rvrn.org). The Greek Forum of Migrants through the project «Fight hate crime now» widened and strengthened the existing network and filled in the gap in the participation of immigrants in the process of recording racist violence. As noted in the annual report for 2015 of the Racist Violence Recording Network "Despite the network’s attempts to spread to communities the opportunity of anonymous registration of racist violence incidents, immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers are not willing to share their experiences because they believe that this will complicate their daily lives. For this reason, it is important that in 2015, thanks to a special program implemented by the Greek Forum of Migrants, we had recorded incidents within the migrant communities with the help of intercultural mediators. The documentation of racist violence in Greece by the Network has led some Institutions to finance special programs in order to enhance the recordings of racist violence thus resulting from several members of the network to implement specific actions concerning the registration and other support services to racist violence victims". During the period November 2014-October 2015, through the project «Fight hate crime now», 179 incidents of hate crimes were recorded. 2450 individuals benefited by the project through 26 informative sessions. The majority of the victims were immigrants from Bangladesh. Incidents were recorded by migrants from Egypt, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Syria, Algeria, India, Lebanon, and Morocco. The recording of hate crimes took place on the basis of the testimony of the victim. It is worth mentioning that the majority of the victims declared that the cause of this racist action, was the fact that they are immigrants, while many mentioned that they felt that their color was the cause of these racist incidents. Regarding the perpetrators, in 127 cases they were citizens, in 5 cases police officers, in 11 cases civil servants, in 11 cases employers, while in 20 cases, victims reported that the perpetrators were members of a certain group.
Summary of bilateral results
Even though it was a main objective of the Greek organization to gain expertise from their partner - the Norwegian Centre against Racism, unfortunately, beyond the useful kick off meeting they had and the exchange of experience, the meetings with representatives of migrant communities and religion leaders at the beginning of the project, they didn’t manage to organize the study trip to Norway, which would have essentially assist them to gain knowledge regarding the methodology used for recording incidents of racist violence. However, even this brief collaboration at the beginning of the project enabled the Greek Forum of Migrants to more systematically deal with the issue of racist violence, and strengthened the Racist Violence Recording Network with 179 incidents that were recorded throughout the project.