-Racism over time can lead to stereotypes, which can lead to prejudice and discrimination. Stereotypes also affect the way we feel and act, and we can have emotional responses such as anxiety.
- Racism can create a social hierarchy where it doesn't just put down the emotions of the targeted group, but also can lead to lower income and less opportunities
-It can hinder people's career progression, which then also hinders their financial progression and makes it harder for people to support their families
- The stress victims of racism may have to deal with also impacts their physical health. For example, people who face racism more, such as coloured people, who on average tend to have shorter lifespans
-When you experience a certain amount of racism, there becomes a high likelihood of developing PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), which means you may struggle to mentally recover
- It could hurt a victim's feelings, and can lead to anxiety, depression or in the worst cases, suicide
When witnessing racism contacting the police is what most people do and for good reason. Police are the central authority for investigating and punishing these acts. You could go to your local police station or in an emergency call 000. The link for the Victoria Police website if you would like to find out more is https://www.police.vic.gov.au/prejudice-motivated-crime .
This more so applies to teenagers and young children, but anyone can do this. If you are, for example, witnessing an act of racism in school you could tell a teacher.
For instance, if you are at a sporting event and you see a spectator name-calling someone else and being discriminatory, you could go and tell a security guard.
