Those of 'Black African' descent receive more racial abuse that any other ethnic group in Ireland, according to a new study.
The European Network Against Racism (Ireland) report, which addresses the period July-December 2014, identifies 182 reported cases of racial abuse, ranging from verbal abuse to assault.
It found social media is increasingly being used as a platform for rcial abuse, and low levels of satisfactions with responses to complaints and Garda support for victims.
People identifying as 'Black African' account for 59 cases; 'Asian and Asian-Chinese' for 29; Muslim for 19; Roma for 16; and Traveller for 14.
The Enar also remarked that websites liek Facebook “are increasingly used by both racist and anti-racist groups to organise and share ideas and event information,” citing a page on the site which was set up to organise protests against Roma families in Waterford.
The most common form of abuse is verbal, accounting for 70 incidents, while racism in the media account for 55. 10 cases of physical violence were reported also.
The report found that men were twice as likely to racially abuse someone, but that men and women are equally likely to be victims of such abuse.
