Anti-racism support
services and reporting
There are various services in place in Victoria where people can speak out against racism and access support after an experience of racism. It is not always easy to find and choose the ‘right’ service. It depends on many factors, such as what kind of experience it was and what kind of support is needed.
This page offers an overview of the most important anti-racism reporting pathways and support services available to everyone who has experienced racism in Victoria.
These include:
- three local community-led anti-racism support networks currently operating in Wyndham, Whittlesea and Melbourne’s southeast
- state-wide agencies and support services such as the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Victoria Police
- community-specific support services for First Nations, Muslim and Jewish communities
Anti-racism support networks
If you look for anti-racism support in your local area, please see below:
Local community-led anti-racism support hubs in Wyndham, Whittlesea and Melbourne’s southeast:
Wyndham Anti-Racism Support Network
Wyndham Anti-Racism Support Network (WARSN) comprise several local community service providers, health service providers and grassroots community groups. The network is coordinated by Wyndham Community and Education Centre.
The network offers qualified and advocacy-oriented anti-racism support and referral advice in a culturally safe environment. It also systematically records reported cases of racism in order to develop local evidence on racism.
Contact: Wyndham Community and Education Centre
Email: WARSN@wyndhamcec.org.au
Phone: 03 9742 4013
Address: 20 Synnot St, Werribee 3030
You can download the network flyer here. Please free to share.
Whittlesea Anti-Racism Support Network
Whittlesea Anti-Racism Support Network, established in 2023, is coordinated by Whittlesea Community Connections and brings together several community organisations as well as education and public health service providers.
The network offers qualified and advocacy-oriented anti-racism support, as well as legal advice and referral services in a culturally safe environment. It also records reported cases of racism in order to develop local evidence on racism.
Contact: Emma Antonetti (Whittlesea Community Connections)
Email: eantonetti@whittleseacc.org.au
Phone: 03 9401 6666
Address: Shop 111 Pacific Epping (shopping centre), 571 High Street Epping.
You can download the network flyer here. Please feel free to share.
Southeast Anti-Racism Support Network (Casey, Greater Dandenong and Cardinia)
The Southeast Anti-Racism Support Network covers Melbourne’s southeast region of Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia. This network consists of various local multicultural community groups and service providers in the area of settlement, mental health and wellbeing, and community legal services. It is jointly led by the Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre (SMRC), South East Community Links (SECL), Wellsprings for Women, and the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY).
The network offers qualified and advocacy-oriented anti-racism support and referral advice in a culturally safe environment. The network organisations also systematically document reported cases of racism to develop local evidence on racism.
Contact:
Wellsprings for Women
- Contact person: Samar Geid
- Telephone: 03 97013740
- Email: samar@wellspringsforwomen.com
- Address: 79 Langhorne Street, Dandenong Vic 3175
- More information: https://www.wellspringsforwomen.com/anti-racism-support/
Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY)
- Contact person: Ayuel Mading
- Telephone: 03 8594 1550
- Mobile: 0428 760 849
- Email: amading@cmy.net.au
- Address: GF 243 Lonsdale St, Dandenong Vic 3175
Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre (SMRC)
- Contact person: Sharon Smith
- Phone: 03 9767 1902
- Email: sharons@smrc.org.au
- Address: 39 Clow St, Dandenong
- More information: https://smrc.org.au/news/standing-against-racism-with-the-southeast-anti-racism-network/
South East Community Links (SECL)
- Contact person: Ruwanthi Mudannayaka
- Telephone: 03 9791 8344
- Email: rmudannayaka@secl.org.au
- Address: 176 Foster Street East, Dandenong Vic 3174
You can download the network flyer here. Please feel free to share.
Other local support services
Hume, Merri-bek, Darebin and Whittlesea
The four councils in Melbourne’s (inner) north have jointly developed a multilingual anti-racism support booklet, which also lists several local support services for people who have experienced racism, including the Whittlesea Anti-Racism Support Network (see above). The booklet can be downloaded in several community languages from this website:
State-wide agencies and support services
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) provides general information and referrals. VEOHRC also offers impartial and free conciliation (mediation) if the reported incident constitutes discrimination or hate speech (vilification):
- Direct or indirect discrimination in employment, education and access to goods and services, including housing/rentals, sporting clubs and gyms, shops, hotels and restaurants, aged care,
- Racial or religious vilification (hate speech) in public
Complaints can be made in any language, and a free interpreter can be arranged. Another person can make a complaint on behalf of the person who experienced racism (with their consent).
VEOHRC staff are specifically trained to support First Nations people when making an enquiry or complaint. (https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/hub/aboriginal-rights/)
Contact:
- Via phone 1300 292 153 (weekdays 10am – 2 pm)
- Via email: complaints@veohrc.vic.gov.au
- Reporting an incident (anonymous): Community Reporting Tool https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/get-help/community-reporting-tool/#frame1
Further information:
https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/race
https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/complaints/make-a-complaint/
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the main agency in Victoria that can investigate alleged crimes, including prejudice motivated crimes, which may have been motivated (fully or partially) by racism or religious or other forms of prejudice.
Contact:
- If it is an emergency, call 000.
- Report to your local police station (click here to find your nearest police station)
- Call Crimestoppers to report anonymously (phone: 1800 333 000 or online: https://www.crimestoppersvic.com.au/report-a-crime/ )
Further information: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/prejudice-motivated-crime
Department of Education
The Department of Education encourages parents to report to the school directly or call the Department’s Report Racism hotline if their child has been the target of religious or racial discrimination or abuse or has seen others experience racism or religious discrimination at a Victorian government school.
Contact:
- Report Racism hotline (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday): 1800 722 476.
- Via email: report.racism@education.vic.gov.au
- Phone interpreter: 131 450
Further information:
https://www.vic.gov.au/report-racism-or-religious-discrimination-schools
Victoria Ombudsman
The Victorian Ombudsman can investigate and help resolve complaints about any public organisation (except Victoria Police) in Victoria, such as local councils, government departments, universities and TAFE or other government organisations. This includes cases where these organisations may have breached human rights, for example people’s right to enjoy their culture, practice their religion or speak their language.
Contact
Via website (reporting form): https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/complaints/
Phone interpreter: 131 450
Further information (multilingual):
Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBCA): complaints about police misconduct
The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBCA) can independently investigate police misconduct (inappropriate or illegal conduct of police in connection with their official duties), including human rights breaches or discrimination or prejudice based on race, religion, or other characteristics.
Contact:
Via website (reporting form) https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/report
Further information:
Support services specifically for First Nations, Muslim and Jewish communities
First Nations people
13YARN Crisis Support Hotline
An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support line run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Contact
Via phone: 13 92 76 (service available 24/7)
Further information
Call it Out Register
A simple and secure way for people to report incidents of racism and discrimination against First Nations people.
Contact (online reporting)
https://register.callitout.com.au
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS)
VALS provides free legal information, referrals, advice and casework assistance to First Nations people on a range of legal issues, including discrimination.
Contact
via phone 9418 5999 or 1800 064 865 (toll-free)
Further information
Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS)
VAHS runs Yarning SafeNStrong, a free and confidential counselling service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who need to have a yarn with someone about their wellbeing.
Contact
via phone 1800 959 563
email: ysns@vahs.org.au
Further information
Muslim community
Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV)
The ICV runs the Islamophobia Support Service, a free community service dedicated to providing information and holistic support to the wider Victorian Muslim community who have been impacted by Islamophobia.
Contact
via phone: 03 9328 2067 (Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm)
email islamophobiasupport@icv.org.au
Further information
https://icv.org.au/islamophobia-support/
Muslim Legal Network (MLN)
MLN provides a free legal referral service, assisting in finding the right lawyer or connecting with other support organisations, such as community legal centres, government organisations, and accredited specialists.
Contact
via email referral@muslimlegalnetwork.com
Further information
https://www.muslimlegalnetwork.com/referral
Islamophobia Register Australia (IRA)
IRA offers a nationwide platform for incidents of Islamophobia to be reported, recorded and analysed into a published report. They also offer free legal advice and/or referral to culturally sensitive mental health support. For cases reported from Victoria, IRA collaborates with the ICV’s Islamophobia Support Service.
Contact
Online reporting https://islamophobia.com.au/report-an-incident/
Further information
Jewish community
Victorian Community Security Group
The CSG can be contacted to report an incident of antisemitism.
Contact
via phone (24/7): 1300 000 274
Further information
