Public authority commitment and action to eliminate targeted harassment and violence

‘How Fair is Britain?’, the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (the

Commission’s) first Triennial Review of inequality in 2010, identified targeted

harassment as one of the most important challenges to human rights, equality and

good relations facing Britain today. The Commission uses the term 'targeted

harassment and violence' (hereafter referred to as targeted harassment) to describe

any unwanted conduct, violence, harassment, or abuse targeted at a person because

of their age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender

status or a combination of these characteristics. The reality faced by many people

across Britain is one of being targeted on a daily basis because of who they are.

The Commission initiated this project in January 2010, to examine public authority

action to eliminate targeted harassment. At that time, the evidence base on public

authorities’ responses to targeted harassment was unsystematic and underdeveloped.