Jewish students welcome ‘constructive’ hate crime report
The Universities UK Taskforce identified two key recommendations to tackle anti-Semitism on campus
Jewish students have welcomed a ‘constructive’ report into university harassment, including anti-Semitic abuse.
Friday’s release of the Universities UK Taskforce (UUK) report was praised by the Union of Jewish Students, for providing “productive and encouraging” recommendations to tackle anti-Semitism on campus.
The UUK publication examines “violence against women, harassment and hate crime”, and details the need for better reporting of anti-Semitism and stronger support by academic institutions for Jewish students to speak out.
It says, that although there have been a “relatively low number of reported incidents, Jewish community leaders have raised concerns with UUK about anti-Semitism on campus”.
It identifies “a number of ongoing issues and occasions where Jewish students feel hostility on campus.” It says “there is a concern that students are not coming forward” to report hate, and that “universities do not always strike the right balance between ensuring freedom of speech and academic freedom, and respect for Jewish students.”
The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) said the report will “hopefully lay the foundations for a more tolerant and inclusive campus environment for all.”
They add, that “on anti-Semitism, the recommendations provided are productive and encouraging, and reflect the level of positive engagement between Universities UK and UJS.”
“This includes the importance of robust reporting mechanisms and the provision of training for institutions to develop a better understanding of the broader ethnic and national dimension to Jewish identity. Tackling anti-Semitism is not limited to arguments of faith, and it is welcome that the report identifies that.”
The report cites the Community Security Trust’s Antisemitic Incident Report 2015, claiming that out of the 924 anti-Semitic incidents for that year, the victims in 21 cases were related to the Jewish student community.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
