Ethnic minority children are whitening their skin in bid to avoid rising tide of racist hate crime says NSPCC
- Children are whitening their skin to avoid being targeted by racial abuse
- Over 10,000 incidents of racist abuse against children was reported last year
- Counselling service Childline say most common group are girls aged 12 to 15
Children from ethnic minority backgrounds are whitening their skin to avoid being targeted in racist hate crimes, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children have said.
The number of bullying and racist abuse against children has risen by 22 per cent over three years with over 10,000 incidents reported to police last year, according to research by the society.
Telephone counselling service Childline said some young callers – the most common group being girls aged 12 to 15 – have tried to change their appearance by using makeup.
A girl, ten, told the NSPCC she was being shunned by her friends because she was being targeted by bullies for her skin colour.
Children from ethnic minority backgrounds are whitening their skin to avoid being targeted in racist hate crimes. Head of Childline John Cameron (pictured) said childhood bullying that is racist can cause long-term emotional harm’
‘My friends won’t hang out with me any more because people started asking why they were friends with someone who had dirty skin,’ she said in report by The Guardian.
‘I’ve tried to make my face whiter before, using make-up so that I can fit in. I just want to enjoy going to school.’
Head of Childline John Cameron said childhood bullying that is racist can cause ‘long-term emotional harm and create further divisions in our society’.
‘If we see a child bullying another because of their race we need to tackle it head on, by explaining that it’s not OK and how hurtful it is.
‘I would urge any child who is being targeted because of their race to contact Childline, and any adult to call the helpline if they are worried about a child.’
This comes after an 11-year-old boy revealed he was regularly subjected racist bullying by his classmates who use derogatory and sickening insults referring to him as a ‘slave’ after moving to a school in Liverpool from Cornwall back in September.
Ashley Davies, 11, revealed he was regularly subjected racist bullying by his classmates who use derogatory and sickening insults referring to him as a ‘slave’
Ashley Davies, who is of mixed race ethnicity, claims he is regularly targeted by other children who use racist names ‘black idiot’, and the n-word.
He said: ‘It makes me feel kind of sad because I am just trying to make friends. I’ve had loads of comments from people who don’t want me there.
‘When I wake up in the morning, it’s like a burden. But it shouldn’t be a chore really, it should just be going to school but every morning before going to school I feel nervous about what’s going to happen there.’
His parents Martin and Natalie Davies say they are at their wits end and confessed they do not know how to make the abuse at the school stop. The family has since returned to Cornwall.
Ashley, who is of mixed race ethnicity, claims he is regularly targeted by other children who use racist names ‘black idiot’, and the n-word (Ashley, centre right, with his mother Natalie, right, father Martin, left, and brother Blake, seven)
She said: ‘Since the day he started there, he’s had comment after comment. The school have said they talk to the other children but it keeps happening again and again.
‘Ashley is very placid and he’s never been in trouble. But no matter how hard he tries, he’s been abused and targeted. It’s not a very nice thing – he’s 11 years old.
‘I am not saying all these kids are horrible racists but this is moulding my son now for how he is going to see the world. At the moment, he seems like nobody cares and everyone is going to see him as different.
‘I think the school are trying but they don’t know what to do.’
Source: Read Full Article