Responding to racism
Racism is discrimination or hatred directed at someone because of their appearance, colour, language, nationality or ethnicity. All types of racism are unacceptable.
Credit: Multilingualism Research Centre
Racism can be direct abuse, such as someone saying “You don’t belong here”, and it can also be casual racism that includes:
- excluding students from social events
- treating students with less respect than others
- racially insensitive comments or jokes.
Types of racism
Physical abuse
Physical force used against you that may cause harm or emotional trauma. Physical abuse can include:
- Spitting, scratching or biting
- Pushing, or slapping
- Throwing object
Verbal abuse
Negative words and comments that label or humiliate a person. Verbal abuse can include:
- Name-calling
- Offensive comments about your appearance, accent and/or cultural activities
Online abuse
Racial hatred content, images, comments, and videos on websites and social media platforms. Online racism can include:
- Offensive jokes about your appearance and accent
- Abusive images and comments targeting a specific ethnic group
- Intimidation or trolling
Find out how to respond to racism.
Support services
On campus support
- Campus Security: The university campus is equipped with Emergency help points, which once pressed, contact Campus Security. For urgent assistance contact Campus Security by phone on +61 (2) 9850 9999.
- Student Wellbeing: Offers mental health support and reporting mechanisms for harassment, misconduct and inappropriate behaviour that can be lodged anonymously. Contact Student wellbeing on +61 (2) 9850 7497 and download the MQ Wellbeing app.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Supports an inclusive and empowered student body. They offer workshops on developing cultural awareness and confidence in taking action as a bystander. Contact diversity and inclusion at respect@mq.edu.au.
International student support
Redfern Legal Centre - International Student Legal Service NSW, is a community legal centre offering free, confidential legal advice for international students. They offer online multilingual fact sheets.
Other services
For more information view the Make a Stand Against Racism brochure [PDF 3.6MB].