by Protection Approaches
Dear friends,
This week is National Hate Crime Awareness Week, a time when we reflect upon our collective responsibility to help build communities that are free from discrimination, prejudice and violence. It is also an opportunity to renew our commitments to help uphold this responsibility.
We live in a world that is increasingly connected, whether through family and community or global structures and shared principles. Building safer, more peaceful communities here in the UK is not a separate endeavour from the pursuit of a fairer community beyond our borders.
As an organisation that works to confront and prevent identity-based violence in the UK as well as internationally we know that when violence escalates in some parts of the world it can make an impact here at home. As the devastating events unfolding in Israel and in Palestine continue, in the UK many people will be feeling less safe, worried about how others view or interpret aspects of their identity. We know that as the violence continues in Israel and Palestine, hate crime and hate incidents, including but not limited to islamophobia and antisemitism, will rise in our own towns and cities.
This Hate Crime Awareness Week, we remind ourselves of our vision of a world where everyone accepts and respects each other, regardless of identity. We remind our friends, supporters, and partners that we are dedicated to doing the hard work necessary to make this vision a reality.
Protection Approaches is founded on the principle that the collective responsibility to help prevent identity-based violence is one that must be dually pursued and upheld at home and in our participation in the world, it is something that we all share in and can all contribute to.
Harnessing the Power of Collective Action: How We Combat Hate
In the spirit of #NationalHCAW and our ongoing commitment to end hate in all its forms, here we spotlight three of our vital projects aimed at bolstering hate crime prevention and providing crucial support to communities in need: 1. We have been commissioned by the London Mayor to deliver a new capacity-building programme for organisations who would like to develop new, or strengthen existing, hate crime victim support work. We are currently recruiting eight London-based organisations who work with community members affected by hate crime to receive our expert training and support including £4,000-£7,000 in financial support.
Find out more here: https://protectionapproaches.org/hccorp
2. We are offering completely free of charge active bystander training to businesses, local authorities and community groups across the country. Developed in partnership with the Britain`s East and South East Asian Network (besea.n) the expert-led 3-hour online or in-person session sees participants guided through a series of discussions to explore what they can do to reduce harm when they encounter prejudice, harassment, or hate crime such as a racist attack in a supermarket or an inappropriate comment from a colleague or classmate.
You can find more about this and some of our other projects here
3. Protection Approaches leads on the coordination of On Your Side, the UK-wide support and reporting service for East and Southeast Asian communities who experience racism or hate. Since launch this service which includes a 24/7 freephone helpline (08088010393) and community based casework support has helped hundreds of victims of hate crime access the support that they need. One service user told us “On your side was on my side when i really needed the service the most - they really helped support me through racial trauma and guided me when I didn't know what to do.”
Your role in a hate-free future
Confronting identity-based violence can often seem like an overwhelming task. As largescale violence engulfs communities around the world, many here in the UK feel increasingly less safe in the face of dangerous divisive movements. However, identity-based mass violence is a process, and so too is its prevention. Standing up to division and hate is not a single action but a destination to strive towards.
Thank you for continuing to support our work. Building stronger, safer, empowered communities is more needed today than ever – and would not be possible without the generosity and partnership of our friends and supporters.
The PA team
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