← How Australia’s handling of Djokovic exposed its flawed immigration system to the world

Students left in lurch after Quebec private colleges, recruiting firm file for creditor protection →

COVID-19 related racism impacts sense of belonging, reporting incidents: Study

2022/01/13 Leave a comment

Of interest given lack of major difference between first and second generation:

The dramatic increase in reports to Vancouver police of hate crimes targeted at Asian-Canadians in 2020 shocked many.

Now, a new study delves into the psychological impact of experiencing COVID-19 and racism when it comes to the sense of belonging held by different generations of Chinese-Canadians. It finds these feelings could hinder the reporting of incidents just as policy-makers are grappling with how to better understand what’s happening.

University of Victoria academic Nigel Mantou Lou was the lead researcher for a study that has been published in the journal Canadian Psychology. It surveyed 874 Chinese-Canadian adults from across Canada, with a mix that included 628 people who were born overseas and are first-generation, and the other 246 who were born in Canada and are second- or later generation.About 30 per cent of the total group had some experience with harassment, either being insulted, threatened and attacked. But only 10 per cent of these respondents reported the incidents to police and only eight per cent mentioned them on social media. About 30 per cent told friends and family, but 60 per cent just kept the experiences to themselves.

It’s common in these studies that first- and second-generation Canadians might report different outcomes, said Lou, but in this one, there wasn’t a significant split.“What stood out for me is that regardless of whether you were born in Canada or the number of years you have lived here or the level of your English, only 10 per cent reported (the incidents),” said Doris Mah, co-founder of the Stand With Asian Coalition. “I am first generation and speak English with an accent and I am still learning about Canadian culture, but for second- and third-generation Chinese Canadians, why is the (number also so low?)”

Lou said there are multiple reasons why people don’t officially report experiences of racism, but one particular one teased out in the study is that “they don’t feel they belong, and that they feel seen as foreigners in the country. This can hold them back from reporting.”

The study is spot-on to what Vancouver lawyer Steve Ngo has been seeing on the ground as he highlights the need for easier, more accessible reporting of harassment and hate crimes.

“We need to have an online way of doing it so that we eliminate these kinds of perceived discrimination points,” said Ngo. “This is why we have to look at it from the view of the victims as opposed to the view of the authorities.”

After two men called him a harsh, racial slur and threw garbage at him last spring, Ngo struggled to report what happened by phone and when he tried to do so online, he found there were only forms in Chinese.

Since then, the Vancouver police have added forms in English, Punjabi, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean, but Ngo has been trying to get more B.C. police departments to add incident forms in different languages to make it easier for those who may already be reluctant to report such harassment and racism to do so.

Source: COVID-19 related racism impacts sense of belonging, reporting incidents: Study

Filed under Hate crimes, Multiculturalism, Racism Tagged with Chinese Canadians, COVID-19, Vancouver

About Andrew
Andrew blogs and tweets public policy issues, particularly the relationship between the political and bureaucratic levels, citizenship and multiculturalism. His latest book, Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias, recounts his experience as a senior public servant in this area.

Multicultural Meanderings

COVID-19 related racism impacts sense of belonging, reporting incidents: Study

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Follow Blog via Email

Follow Me

Multiculturalism in Canada: Evidence and Anecdote

Translate

Facebook Page

Archives

Categories

Subscribe

Tag Cloud

Multicultural Meanderings

COVID-19 related racism impacts sense of belonging, reporting incidents: Study

Share this:

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Follow Blog via Email

Follow Me

Multiculturalism in Canada: Evidence and Anecdote

Translate

Facebook Page

Archives

Categories

Subscribe

Tag Cloud