ANTI-RACISM SUPPORT

If you experience or witness racism

Practical first steps, confidential advice and information about reporting, rights and specialist support for freelancers across theatre and live performance.

Start with what you need

If racism was directed at you, what happened is not your fault. You may need immediate safety, someone to listen, confidential advice, action from the person or organisation that hired you, or simply time before deciding what to do next.

You do not need to identify the correct legal term, gather every piece of evidence, or decide on a formal complaint before asking for help. The options below are starting points. Use whatever feels relevant and safe for you right now.

A note about your rights

Legal protection can extend beyond employees. In England, Scotland and Wales it can include workers, job applicants, and contractors or self-employed people hired personally to do the work. Northern Ireland has separate equality law. Your exact rights and options depend on the circumstances, so seek specialist advice as early as possible.

On this page

  1. Immediate danger
  2. Practical first steps
  3. If you witnessed racism
  1. Reporting racism and raising concerns
  2. Legal rights and advice
  3. specialist and emotional support

URGENT SAFETY

Is anyone in immediate danger?

Call 999 if a crime is in progress or someone is in immediate danger. If it is not an emergency, call 101 or contact your local police.

Threatening behaviour, assault, damage to property, harassment and online abuse motivated by hostility towards someone because of their race, religion or belief may be treated as a hate crime.

Read official guidance about reporting hate crime

Practical first steps

There is no single correct way to respond. These steps can help protect your safety, preserve your options and prepare you for a conversation with an adviser.

1. Prioritise safety and immediate support.
Move away from the situation if you need to. Contact someone you trust or ask an appropriate person within the production, organisation or venue to help make the situation safe.

2. Write a factual record.
When you feel able, note the date, time and place, what was said or done, who was present, how you responded and what happened afterwards. Use the exact words you remember where possible, without filling in gaps.

3. Keep relevant evidence.
Save contracts, call sheets, rotas, emails, messages, screenshots, photographs and relevant workplace policies. Keep original copies in a private and secure place you control.

4. Find the relevant workplace route.
Look for a named contact in the organisation’s dignity at work, anti-harassment, complaints or safeguarding policy. Depending on the job, this might be a producer, company manager, stage manager, line manager, HR contact or designated safeguarding lead.

5. Seek confidential advice early.
You do not have to confront the person involved before asking for advice. Speak to your union or an appropriate advice service before making decisions such as ending an engagement, resigning, signing an agreement or submitting a formal complaint.

6. Check whether a deadline applies.
Workplace and legal processes can have strict time limits. An internal conversation, complaint or grievance does not necessarily pause those deadlines.

Protect your safety and your options

Do not put yourself at risk to collect evidence. If you are considering recording a conversation or making a public statement, specialist advice can help you understand the implications and protect your options.

SUPPORTING SOMEONE ELSE

If you witnessed racism

A supportive response can reduce isolation and help create an accurate record of what happened. Prioritise the safety, needs and choices of the person who experienced the racism.

  • If it is safe and appropriate, interrupt the behaviour, name the concern or seek help from someone with responsibility for the space.
  • Check in privately with the person affected. Listen, acknowledge what happened and ask what support they want.
  • Do not ask them to prove, justify or repeatedly describe their experience.
  • Do not take control of their decisions or share their identity and account without discussing it with them, unless there is an immediate safety or safeguarding reason.
  • Write your own factual account and preserve any relevant material. Offer to be named as a witness if they choose to raise the matter.
  • Follow up afterwards. Do not assume the impact has passed because the immediate incident has ended.

If you have a formal responsibility to report or act, explain clearly what you may need to share, with whom and why. Continue to involve the person affected wherever possible.

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