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How are you? Discussion on the UK riots
TheMix
Posts: 3,118 Boards Guru
Housekeeping on this thread:
We wanted to create a safe space for people who want to discuss their feelings around the recent riots happening around the UK this week. As a reminder, this is not a space for debate (i.e. it is okay to discuss and disagree with what's happening, but this is not a place to debate the motives behind the rioting groups).
The Mix stands firmly against violence and hate speech in all its forms. We know that some of you may be directly affected by the violence or know people who are, and we want to offer our full support.
The world is a heavy place right now
We know things feel heavy right now. The world outside can be a lot to handle, with big problems that seem impossible to solve. And on top of that, we're all dealing with our own personal stuff, which can feel like a whole other overwhelming weight to carry. Social media can make it all feel even bigger and scarier. It’s like everything’s inflated, 24/7. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, anxious, angry or even just quite sad. It’s a lot to process. Remember, you're not alone in feeling this way. We're all in this together. Reach out to friends, family, or someone you trust.
Support for you or someone you know
Please take care of yourselves and each other- you are all brilliant, kind and special people.
With Care,
Ella, Aoife, Gemma, Mike and Talie
We wanted to create a safe space for people who want to discuss their feelings around the recent riots happening around the UK this week. As a reminder, this is not a space for debate (i.e. it is okay to discuss and disagree with what's happening, but this is not a place to debate the motives behind the rioting groups).
The Mix stands firmly against violence and hate speech in all its forms. We know that some of you may be directly affected by the violence or know people who are, and we want to offer our full support.
The world is a heavy place right now
We know things feel heavy right now. The world outside can be a lot to handle, with big problems that seem impossible to solve. And on top of that, we're all dealing with our own personal stuff, which can feel like a whole other overwhelming weight to carry. Social media can make it all feel even bigger and scarier. It’s like everything’s inflated, 24/7. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, anxious, angry or even just quite sad. It’s a lot to process. Remember, you're not alone in feeling this way. We're all in this together. Reach out to friends, family, or someone you trust.
Support for you or someone you know
If you or someone you know has experienced a hate crime, remember you don’t have to go through this alone. If you would like support or information on how to report the incident, you can get help from Victim Support. You can reach out to them via phone, email or webchat. Head to their website for more information on how to get in touch - https://reporthate.victimsupport.org.uk/contact/
If you would like to make a report of a hate crime, you can do this via phone or online on Victim Support’s website.
If it’s an emergency, you should always call 999 as this is the quickest way to get help.
Stop Hate UK has a 24-hour anti-hate crime reporting service and support for victims, witnesses and third parties. They are operational in certain areas, and you can find out whether the service is available in your area on their website www.stophateuk.org. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you can contact them on their helpline at 0800 138 1625.
If you would like someone to speak to these services are also available:
Samaritans
Crisis messenger
If you would like to make a report of a hate crime, you can do this via phone or online on Victim Support’s website.
If it’s an emergency, you should always call 999 as this is the quickest way to get help.
Stop Hate UK has a 24-hour anti-hate crime reporting service and support for victims, witnesses and third parties. They are operational in certain areas, and you can find out whether the service is available in your area on their website www.stophateuk.org. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you can contact them on their helpline at 0800 138 1625.
If you would like someone to speak to these services are also available:
Samaritans
- Open 24/7
- Helpline: 116 123 (Monday to Sunday at any time)
- Welsh Language Line: 0808 164 0123 (Monday to Sunday 7pm to 11pm)
- You can also get in touch with them via email or webchat
- Calls to Samaritans are free.
Crisis messenger
- Open 24/7
- Text 'THEMIX' to 85258 to start a conversation with a trained volunteer
- You can reach out to them about anything you’re going through, you don’t need to be in crisis
- Texts are free from anywhere in the UK.
Please take care of yourselves and each other- you are all brilliant, kind and special people.
With Care,
Ella, Aoife, Gemma, Mike and Talie
Post edited by TheMix on
10
Comments
The last couple of weeks have seen some really scary developments - first in one location, but then spreading nationwide. For most users here, this may be the first time you've heard this kind of event happening; but for a few here (and for the older generations), this will echo similar events that occurred in the 1980s. Such was the violence, many resorted to locking themselves indoors to protect themselves and their families from being targeted, and even that was not enough at times unfortunately.
But I also wanted to shed light on some of the positive stories that have occurred in response to these recent events. Many rioters that engaged in criminal activity have been swiftly arrested. Counter-protestors, in solidarity with minority communities, came out in their thousands to demonstrate their support for our multicultural society and oppose hateful rhetoric.
It has been amazing to see that lots of people have reached out to offer practical and emotional support to their family, friends, neighbours and colleagues across the UK. Kind-hearted members of many communities helped to clean up the streets, repair damages, and rebuild shops that were destroyed and looted. Fundraisers have collected lots of money to support these efforts, such as helping businesses and libraries that were targeted in the attacks to reopen.
Only time will tell if these events are actually over, or whether we'll see more riots in the coming weeks. But for the time being, while the spotlight can focus on the negative stories, I believe it's important to recognise the positive stories too. These are the stories that demonstrate the good side of our communities - those who represent kindness, tolerance, and support for one another. These are the people that represent our best selves, and help make this a better place for us all.