UK helpline launched for east and south-east Asian victims of racism

Aamna Mohdin
·3 min read

A free nationwide 24-hour helpline offering support for east and south-east Asian victims of racism and other forms of hate in the UK has been launched.

The On Your Side helpline will be run by specialist advisers to provide tailored and culturally sensitive support. Longer-term support from a trained casework advocate will be offered, with case workers helping people understand their rights and direct them to specialist support services.

The service operates seven days a week and was created in response to the “dramatic rise” in hate crime directed towards the people from east and south-east Asian backgrounds in the UK since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers said. This increase had highlighted the gap in support and reporting services, the organisers added.

On Your Side, which is described as the first of its kind in the UK, is being funded by the Hong Kong British nationals (overseas) welcome programme through the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Helpline operators speak various languages including Japanese, Chinese Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka and Hokkien, Tagalog and Indonesian, but can support victims in any language with support from trusted interpreters.

The service has been developed by a consortium of 15 national and community-based organisations with expertise in hate crime reporting, hate crime prevention and supporting east and south-east Asian victims of racial abuse.

Kimi Jolly, the executive director of ESA Scotland, one of the organisations involved, said: “People from east and south-east Asian communities have experienced a huge increase in verbal and physical racially motivated attacks yet, up to now, there has been no support tailored to them in terms of language, cultural awareness and being able to record their ethnicity accurately.

“I know the impact of this first-hand. I’ve been violently assaulted, harassed and verbally abused. During the pandemic, I was asked to leave a shop when other people weren’t. I had sanitiser sprayed all over me on a bus. And I’m not alone in experiencing such incidents. Some people still don’t consider racial jokes made towards members of the east and south-east Asian community as actually being a form of racism.”

Hau-Yu Tam, the head of campaigns at End Violence and Racism Against East and South-East Asian Communities, said: “We know people can be fearful, reluctant or unsure how to report hate crimes and incidents. Using this service means that community members who are calling or writing in will be centred in the process.

“They are the ones to decide what, if any, information will be shared with the police. While the number and nature of incidents will be recorded, details remain confidential unless the individual would like help reporting the crime. The primary focus for us is to assist in an appropriate, caring, joined-up way. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and supported.”

Andy Fearn, the co-executive director of Protection Approaches, the charity leading the consortium, said: “During a consultation we conducted to inform the design of this service we spoke to over 150 people from east and south-east Asian backgrounds. Two in five had been victims of a hate crime or hate incident in the last two years. More than half of those incidents were never reported, while fewer than a quarter sought any form of support afterwards.

“We repeatedly heard that east and south-east Asian victims of hate crime do not report what has happened to them because they are afraid of dealing with the police and don’t think the police or other reporting services will believe them or take their report seriously. Others told us that they had difficulties accessing reporting and support services because of language and other barriers.”

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Person who was on fire outside Trump's hush money trial is rushed away on a stretcher

    NEW YORK (AP) — A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher. The fire was extinguished Friday shortly after a jury and alternates had been seated in Trump’s criminal case. A person could be seen lying on the ground on fire. People then rushed over to douse the person with a fire extinguisher and try to bat the flames away. Emergency responders then rushed the person away on a stretche

  • 20 Countries with the Highest Cancer Survival Rates in the World

    In this article, we will be taking a look at the 20 countries with the highest cancer survival rates in the world. If you do not want to learn about the cancer treatment in the US, head straight to the 5 Countries with the Highest Cancer Survival Rates in the World. Navigating the Terrain: The […]

  • 'Good tummy camouflage': This flattering frock is a steal at $34 — save over 40%

    More than 5,000 shoppers rave about this comfy midi dress — and it has pockets!

  • RFK Jr running mate injects needed cash in independent's campaign

    The role Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, will play in his White House bid is coming into focus, as the wealthy lawyer injects millions of dollars into their independent campaign and amplifies their stances on social media. Shanahan, a political neophyte tapped in March to be the independent candidate Kennedy's vice presidential pick, gave $2 million one day after her candidacy was announced, campaign filings showed this week. That money allowed the campaign to stay out of the red during an expensive push to be listed on state election ballots alongside Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Donald Trump.

  • Stablecoin Tether gets boost as dollar alternative in emerging markets, CEO says

    Stablecoin Tether's recent growth is being driven by its use as an alternative to the U.S. dollar in emerging markets, rather than by demand for cryptocurrency trading, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino told Reuters on Friday. Tether issues a stablecoin, also called Tether or USDT, which is designed to maintain a constant value of $1 and is widely used in crypto-to-crypto trading. It has grown rapidly in recent years, hitting more than $100 billion worth of Tether tokens in circulation in March.

  • ‘Endless tech’ at schools has been a failure, says Sophie Winkleman

    Schools have “gone crazy” filling classrooms with screens and results will go down as a result, the actress Sophie Winkleman has warned.

  • Runaway Horse Leads Connecticut Cop on Low-Speed Chase

    A police officer in Glastonbury, Connecticut, expressed his befuddlement on Wednesday morning, April 17, as he followed a runaway horse with the lights on his patrol vehicle flashing.Footage released by the Glastonbury Police Department shows the horse trotting along Hebron Avenue with an officer following behind in a police vehicle.The officer trailing the horse remarked: “What the hell am I supposed to do with this?”The horse was safely returned home and is in “stable” condition, as the department quipped on Facebook. One commenter jokingly asked if the horse was held on “bale.” Credit: Glastonbury Police Department via Storyful

  • Not Sure What To Do With Your Old Coins or Bills? Let These 3 Experts Help You

    Not all old coins or dollar bills are unique, but some could be worth thousands of dollars. And if you do have old currency lying around, it doesn't hurt to check and see what it's worth. Check Out:...

  • Vitesse Arnhem relegated from Eredivisie after 18-point deduction

    The Dutch football association has deducted 18 points from Vitesse Arnhem, officially confirming the club’s relegation

  • Are Taylor Swift's Tracks 'thanK you aIMee' and 'Cassandra' About Kim Kardashian?

    Swift released the two new tracks on 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology' on April 19

  • Britain could pledge new air-defence package for Ukraine in weeks

    Britain is preparing a new air-defence package for Ukraine to be delivered within weeks after Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for more protection from the West.

  • Diplomacy and drones: how Israel’s attack on Iran unfolded

    Country’s leaders took it time to weigh its response to Iran’s strike under gaze of allies urging restraint

  • The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing

    TORONTO — The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores. In an affidavit filed in a Toronto court this week, the head of the retailer's Canadian operations says he has seen enough interest in the business from unspecified parties to believe the company should pursue a sale. Jordan Searle says it's unclear whether parent company The Body Shop In

  • Welcome to 'peak boomer' era: A wave of retirees is about to blow through their savings and cling to Social Security to stay afloat

    While more older boomers tend to have a pension, a looming wave of younger retirees are about to strain the economy and Social Security.

  • Pandas coming to CA zoo for first time in decades — and city calls it a ‘major boost’

    Pandas last were at the zoo temporarily in 1984 and 1985.

  • Organisers of Jewish pilgrimage in Tunisia cancel annual celebrations over Gaza

    An annual Jewish pilgrimage to Tunisia's Djerba‮ ‬synagogue and celebration has been cancelled due to the war in Gaza, the head of the organising committee, Perez Trabelsi, told Reuters on Friday. Trabelsi added that the committee has reduced the annual pilgrimage to limited rituals only inside the temple, and expects a very small number to arrive from France due to the tense situation in the Middle East. The southern island of Djerba – a holiday destination – is home to Africa’s oldest synagogue and the annual pilgrimage,‮ ‬attract thousands of Jews annually who come from Israel and several European countries.

  • Denver weather: Up to 4 inches of snow possible, heavier totals in mountains

    Colorado is not done with winter as Denver’s potential snowfall totals could range between 1 to 4 inches across the metro by Saturday as hazardous travel conditions are possible in the mountains.

  • Financial Experts: 7 Things You’ll Regret Doing With a $10K Raise

    When you get a significant raise, it can be tempting to splurge on something big -- like a vacation, new computer or another big-ticket item. But while rewarding yourself for your hard work doesn't...

  • Czech billionaire ‘very serious’ about bid for Royal Mail

    The Czech billionaire circling Royal Mail is “very serious” about a takeover, a source close to negotiations has said, as the postal service prepares to mount a defence.

  • 6 Top Tips for How To Turn $1,000 Into $10,000

    The opportunity to multiply an initial investment by 10 is one that most people wouldn't pass up. However, the truth is that turning $1,000 into $10,000 is probably not going to happen overnight -- or...