A new, web-based system (www.reportracism-malta.org) will make it easier for victims of racism, as well as those who witness it unfold, to report such acts. Launched by The People for Change Foundation, the human rights think tank, this service is intended to encourage people to report incidents of this sort, to inform individuals about solutions available, and to support them throughout the process.
It will also gather data to help better understand the reality of racism in Malta, and to provide an evidence base that will help enhance the legal and policy related frameworks.
The process is simple - if you witness or experience racism in whatever form, you can fill out a form online, which is currently available in Maltese, English and French. If you agree to be contacted, the Foundation will offer support. This will include the dissemination of information as well as assistance in filing official reports and following them up.
The need for such a system is clear from the high levels of incidence and low levels of reporting of racist incidents. A report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) found that an alarming 63 per cent of Africans in Malta experience high levels of discrimination, which is the second highest incidence in the EU.
In addition, 29 per cent have fallen victim to a racially motivated crime. At the same time, relevant authorities have received only very low numbers of reports, which jars both with the research statistics as well as when compared to the perception that racism is widespread. Eighty-five per cent of victims of racism keep quiet about the abuse they experienced. This troubling statistic, found in a report by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE), is what led the Foundation to set up Report Racism Malta.
The fact that there is no easily accessible channel allowing those experiencing or witnessing racism to report these cases of discrimination, has left many feeling helpless and disempowered (a Fundamental Rights Agency report found that only 11 per cent of African immigrants in Malta knew of the existence of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality).
Many also believe that their report will fall on deaf ears. At the same time, a perceived lack of action following such reports has led to individuals feeling that the system does not provide adequate protection and that reporting such incidents may expose the identity of those lodging the report, particularly if the incident is carried out by an organised group.
The creation of a system through which individuals can report such cases is a crucial step in tackling racism, as it gives a voice and support to victims, while allowing for policies to be created through the identification of trends.