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More Than A Year Later, Travellers Are Still Waiting For An Ofcom Report

By Dhruva Balram, Writer 19 May 2021

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Airing on April 16 last year, the Channel 4 documentary ‘Dispatches: The Truth About Traveller Crime’ prompted more than 800 complaints to UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom.

It’s been over a year since the Office of Communications opened their investigation into the documentary, and Travellers are still waiting on the report from the government organisation. Despite aiming to complete the investigation within 50 working days, nearly a year has passed without Ofcom’s findings being published. When pressed for explanations on the delay, there has been no response from the regulatory body.

New research undertaken by the Traveller Movement shows Gypsies and Irish Travellers were racially abused and criminally stereotyped following the Channel 4 programme. In response, the Traveller Movement created their own report.

Rather than generalise GRT groups on the basis of their ethnicity, the media should strive to reflect the many different experiences of the groups

The Traveller Movement formed survey-based research methods to investigate community reactions to the programme and the negative impacts of anti-Traveller stereotypes, particularly when Travellers are the victims and survivors of hate crime.

Charity the Traveller Movement is urging Traveller, Roma and Gypsy communities to vote on December 12. This is an image of Ripley Caravan Park. Image Credit: Rawdonfox / Flickr.

Based on 68 answers from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) respondents collected in May and June of 2020, here are the topline findings:

96% have heard negative stereotypes about travellers and crime
67% never saw a news article or programme that featured a traveller as a victim of a crime
56% had reported a crime committed against them or their family
55% said that in doing so, no police action had been taken

Who are the Roma, Sinti, Gypsies and Travellers?

Roma is a term used to describe a range of groups who share a common heritage and language – Romani.

They originate from northern India and migrated to central Europe around the early 15th century.

There are now up to 12 million Roma people in Europe, making them the continent’s largest minority.

They have been traditionally referred to as Gypsies in Britain, a term which emerged from the mistaken belief they came from Egypt.

In Germany they were referred to as ‘Zigeuner’. This may be derived from the word untouchable, reflecting a history of discrimination and prejudice.

The groups are referred to by different names in different parts of Europe including: Roma in the east and the Balkans; Sinti from Germany, France and Northern Italy; and Lalleri from Czech lands.

Irish Travellers are a distinct group but share a similar nomadic way of life. Their presence dates back to the 12th Century and they speak a distinct language called Shelta.

Sources: Wiener Holocaust Library / Traveller Movement

From the research conducted by the Traveller Movement, 81% of police forces across the UK were found to not include Gypsies and Travellers in their ethnic monitoring systems and do not record the Roma ethnicity – despite keeping records for other ethnic groups.

The report can be read in full here. It also contains the following solutions:

Rather than generalise GRT groups on the basis of their ethnicity, the media should strive to reflect the many different experiences of the groups
Ofcom staff should be better informed about GRT people and ensure they meet regulatory obligations with regard to how GRT are portrayed in the media
The Department for Education should make GRT culture and history mandatory in school curricula across the UK
Police Services need to improve accountability and intolerance towards discrimination against GRT people by their staff and officers

Ofcom and media diversity

The UK’s commercial broadcasters are regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which was established under the Communications Act 2003.

Ofcom has the power to set minimum standards to which all broadcasters must adhere, such as the Broadcasting Code.

Among the Code’s requirements is for broadcasters to be impartial and accurate in their coverage of politics and social issues.

It can levy substantial fines and revoke the licenses of broadcasters who seriously breach the code.

The 2003 Act places a duty on Ofcom to take “all such steps as they consider appropriate for promoting” equality of opportunity among men and women, people of different racial groups and disabled people.

Its work in this area has included producing reports and publishing guidance for employers to ensure they promote equal opportunities.