The research included twenty-five interviews with 24 individuals from Africa, Asia, and Europe. All research participants had been victims of crimes proscribed by articles 119 and 257 of the criminal code, except three women, who talked about racist acts committed against children of foreigners of from mixed marriages.
The most frequently encountered forms of racism are public insults and invectives based on origin, and nearly all individuals taking part in the research have experienced such.
“Monkey,” “black monkey,” “asphalt,” “Bambo,” “gorilla” are the types of invectives that nearly all interviewees of African origin reported hearing. Individuals who stand out for their darker skin and/or are of Asian origin reported hearing insulting epithets such as “black”, “nigger” or “yellow.” Foreigners frequently hear comments that they are not welcome in Poland and should go back to their countries. These types of words accompanied physical aggression, including beatings, hitting, and pushing. The attacks usually occur in public places, frequently in the presence of third parties – in public transport or at bus stops, on the street, during walks, or public events. Witnesses rarely assist victims. The perpetrators are generally young men, usually acting in a group. The perpetrators and victims are usually strangers, people passed on the street or sharing public transport. However, in the case of aggression against juveniles, the aggressors are school classmates. Schools do not always react appropriately to acts of racist aggression on school grounds.
Victims inform their friends and family in first order about a racist incident. These conversations frequently determine their subsequent decisions, including whether or not to report the crime to law enforcement. The most frequently cited reason for not reporting racist crime is the belief that police are ineffective. Other reasons given for not notifying law enforcement of racist crimes include the victims’ own limitations, such as a language barrier, unfamiliarity with the reporting procedure, and lack of knowledge about which acts are illegal.
Assistance to victims of racist violence should cover three aspects: practical help in seeking justice, psychological as well as moral support. Furthermore, research participants felt it important to conduct public campaigns and education activities to help Poles become familiar with ethnic diversity, shape model behavior in contacts with people from other cultures, attenuate xenophobia and denounce acts of racism. In their minds, primarily public authorities, but also the media and NGOs should conduct such activities.
* Agnieszka Mikulska, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
