Poster: “Now your voice speaks louder”
Note from BW of Brazil: In a quest to track incidents of racial discrimination and racism that occur in the area of the nation’s capital, a “dial racism” hotline was created last month. The hotline will be used to document, process, collect and forward and hopefully combat such incidents divulged on this blog; such as the young black girl who was beaten up just because she was black, the boy who was insulted by a classmate and the movie theater employee who was verbally offended by the psychoanalyst. As you will see in this report, the hotline was more than necessary as it people blew up the phone line with reports of racially motivated incidents or request for information at an average of about 58 per day. See more below.
In just 15 days of operation, the Dial Racism hotline received 512 denouncements; according to the GDF (Governo do Distrito Federal or Government of the Federal District), the service also recorded 227 complaints and another 130 requests for information or clarification, the data will be organized and what configures racism or discrimination of race, color, religion or sexual orientation will be taken to the to the police; the numbers surprised the government, since in the past year, 409 incidents were registered in police stations.
April 5, 2013
Brasília 247 – In just 15 days of operation, the Disque Racismo (Dial Racism) hotline received more than 800 calls. From March 20 to April 3, there were 512 denouncements, 227 complaints and 130 contacts with requests for information and clarification. The service was launched last month by the Secretaria Especial da Promoção da Igualdade Racial (Sepir or Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality) of the Federal District.
According to the secretary of Sepir, Viridiano Custódio, all records will be analyzed and appropriate measures adopted. “We verified that is a very large number of contacts and we will still criminalize them. It’s important that the community know that everything will be tabulated and forwarded. Those who need it, we offer legal and psychological assistance,” says the secretary.
Viridiano Custódio: “Our intention is to fight discrimination”
The number of complaints received is greater than the 409 cases recorded in the whole year of 2012 in precincts of the Federal District. The clerk explains that this amount ascertained by the Ombudsman may fall at the moment in that it (a complaint) is proven to be discriminatory.
“About 54% of the Federal District population declares itself negra (black) or parda (brown), and there is now a greater awareness of people about the need to report. Our intention is to fight discrimination,” Custódio plans.
What is it?
The Disque Racismo (Dial Racism) hotline is a public service to receive, collect and track reports of ethnic-racial discriminatory practices that occur in the DF (Distrito Federal/Federal District) besides informing, clarification and receiving suggestions. It is the first Dial Racism hotline in governmental agency, at black, indigenous, gypsy populations or traditional peoples and communities of African origin, to combat racial inequality. The service is available for legal and psychological guidance and contributes to the promotion of equal rights and opportunities.
What is the role of the Disque Racismo?
1 – To accept allegations made by telephone.
2 – Register your personal data and the object of the complaint.
3 – Ensure the confidentiality of information.
4 – Forward the complaint to the appropriate bodies.
5 – Track and monitor referrals to protection, defense and accountability networks.
6 – Return to (a) citizen (a) appropriate action.
How it works?
This service runs from Mondays to Fridays, from 7am to 7 pm, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8am to 6pm hours, by dialing Central 156, Option 7
By e-mail: ouvidoriaracial.sepirdf@gmail.com or ouvidoriaracial.sepir@buriti.df.gov.br
Source: Brasil 247, SEPIR
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