Over the past two decades our society has become increasingly ethnically diverse. Information from the 2011 census shows that about 2% of the population is from a Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) background, having more than doubled in the previous ten years.

It is important that we help our children and young people to understand this diversity in our communities and in our schools and to be respectful of it. Department of Education research show that 38% of pupils in Year 6 and 63% of pupils in Year 9 still feel that a person’s skin colour can make them more likely to experience bullying.

Racist bullying is wrong and it must be stopped.

Racist bullying occurs when a child or young person experiences repeated hostile or offensive behaviour against them based on:

• The colour of their skin
• Their cultural and religious background or traditions
• Their ethnicity or perceived ethnicity

Like other types of bullying, racist bullying can take many different forms and happen online, via phone or in the physical world. Examples of racial bullying can include:

• Calling someone names, teasing or humiliating them using racially offensive language
• Mocking someone’s religious customs or traditions
• Making fun of their clothes, accent, food, etc.
• Refusing to work or cooperate with someone because of their ethnicity
• Vandalism of property, offensive graffiti or displaying racist symbols

Key Contacts:

STEP
Equality Commission NI