The prevalence and persistence of ethnic and racial harassment and its impact on health:
a longitudinal analysis, presents the findings from the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) of a longitudinal study of the prevalence of ethnic and racial harassment and its impact on health during the period 2009 to 2014. The research was conducted by researchers at the University of Essex using data from the large-scale household panel survey. As part of this study, the research team also looked at measures that can protect ethnic minorities against the mental health costs associated with ethnic and racial harassment.

Key findings
- Ethnic minorities are most likely to experience ethnic and racial harassment and anticipate it in streets, shops and public transport.
- Chinese men and women, Pakistani men, Indian-Sikh men, Indian-Muslim men and Bangladeshi women are more likely to report such experiences than others – around 15%.
- For most ethnic groups, twice as many people anticipate or fear harassment than actually experience it, with the exception of black Caribbean and black African groups.
- Women are more likely than men to feel unsafe and avoid places, but men are more likely to report actually experiencing ethnic and racial harassment.
- These patterns persist after account for contextual factors that vary across
ethnic groups. - The likelihood of experiencing ethnic and racial harassment is lower for those
living with a higher proportion of their own ethnic group members after taking
into account area level deprivation
The ISER researchers hope their findings will increase awareness among the public, policy-makers, healthcare professionals and law enforcement agencies about how common such harassment experiences are. (Source: ISR).
Institute for Social and Economic Research