Casey Report: Institutional Racism
Today the Met Police is under intense scrutiny following a damning report by Lady Louise Casey revealing that the force has institutional problems with racism, misogyny and homophobia.
It addresses a toxic culture of bullying, harassment, the inability to face these issues or make any fundamental changes to support any individual raising concerns. The glaring question is how can a problem so entrenched within an institution be changed? Not only for the individuals working within a broken and corrupt system but for every Londoner to one day have the trust they deserve in a system which is here to protect.
Show Racism the Red Card Vice President Baroness Blower comments:
Baroness Casey’s report finds the Met to be institutionally sexist, racist, misogynist and homophobic. She says explicitly that the Met over polices and under protects Black Londoners. Public confidence in the Met is below 50% with few Londoners agreeing that the Met treats everyone fairly. Change must come urgently.
Our messaging comes through education. Show Racism the Red Card visit workplaces every day across the UK to support teams to develop a culture of equity, respect, and allyship for all. These words can often be used without meaningful action or merely as a promotional tag line, but to actually create a positive open culture where people have confidence to raise concerns, and speak openly, takes time, effort and resource.
We are a charity specialising in education, giving people the knowledge and tools to understand what racism is and why it exists; as a system of power, and importantly how to influence change. In today’s world simply ‘not being racist’ is not enough. The workplaces we visit understand these needs and want to equip their staff with relevant training to become active allies against racism.
We currently work with statutory organisations, such as NHS Trusts, the Fire Service, Probation and Police and Crime Commissioners across the UK. Our extensive work in schools and with teachers gives hope that a new generation will enter our workforce far better equipped to contribute towards and uphold a diverse and inclusive culture.
