CHURCHES in west Wiltshire are being urged to tackle the problem of racism in their communities through the launch of a new course called 'In God's Image'.
The course, which was launched at the West End Baptist Church in Westbury on Wednesday, aims to get people to face up to the fact that even rural areas are affected by racism.
Statistics show that the number of racist incidents reported to Wiltshire police in 1996 was 37. By the year 2000, this number had risen to 221.
Members of the Racism Focus Group of Wiltshire Churches Together have put a study guide together to go with the course, in which Wiltshire people have talked about their experiences of racism.
Social responsibility adviser for Wiltshire, Kathleen Ben Rabha, said: "People do not realise that racism also exists in the rural idyll. We have been able to show that racial prejudice is a fact of life in many Wiltshire market towns and rural villages a fact we cannot ignore."
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