Racist abuse means my home feels like a prison

For six years, Eve Joseph says the home where she should feel safest has instead become somewhere she fears.

The cancer survivor, who lives alone in a council bungalow in Druids Heath, Birmingham, says her fear has been building since 2020 when a campaign of escalating racist abuse began.

In the past two weeks alone, the 62-year-old says her disability car has been stolen and her bungalow's rear window was smashed by two men who hurled racist abuse at her.

An incident of racially-aggravated criminal damage at the end of June is also subject to a police investigation, which the city council says it is monitoring.

But Joseph, who says she has also been assaulted twice, is running out of hope.

"My home feels more like a prison, to be honest and I do not feel safe in my own home," she told the BBC.

One of the most recent attacks was captured on CCTV, seen by the BBC, which shows two men counting down before bricks were thrown at her property.

Joseph says the abuse has also included a golly doll being thrown into her front garden.

"Not only did I fight cancer, I was also having to fight the racist attacks at the same time," she explained, stressing that living alone makes everything even more frightening.

"I try to manage my mental health pretty well, but it has definitely affected my sleeping pattern and made me on edge," she added.

"I wake up throughout the night."

The spate of incidents have left her questioning whether she can remain in the home.

"The most serious incident would have been when I was attacked verbally, being called slurs," she said. "He followed me up the alley, calling me the n-word.

"I've had litter thrown in my garden [like] bags of dog poo [and] even a soiled tampon thrown over the fence.

"There is always that fear… you don't know how far these people first take these things."

Joseph said she knew the "ringleader" orchestrating the harassment but claimed police would not "take what I'm saying seriously".

Civil rights activist Charlie Williams has been supporting her and is calling on the city council to rehouse her.

"We've literally done the police officers' job for them," Williams said, referring to the attack by two men.

"We handed in all the evidence, photographs, video evidence and also the bricks themselves.

"The callousness of the police conduct in this case is an absolute embarrassment.

"What needs to happen immediately and urgently is Eve needs to be moved to a safe environment."

West Midlands Police said that in connection with the 30 June incident, officers had made inquiries, provided crime prevention advice and were continuing to investigate.

"Hate crime has no place in our communities," a spokesperson said. "We are determined to identify those responsible, support victims and work with our partners to tackle offending and protect vulnerable communities."

Joseph has herself called on Birmingham City Council for alternative housing.

She hoped to be placed in category band A for housing, which is for people with the most urgent or critical need to move, but the council has confirmed she has been placed her in band B.

The council said it took all reports of hate crime and anti-social behaviour "extremely seriously".

A spokesperson said it would continue to review Joseph's situation while the police investigation remained ongoing and a housing officer was continuing to provide support and advice.

For Eve, however, she says the immediate concern is getting through each day.

"'Shame on you' is what I'd say to the authorities. I feel let down by the police, and the council.

"I am black British, yes, but I don't know where all this racism has come from.

"I'm determined to get some sort of justice and it would be nice to be somewhere I can enjoy my own garden without having to listen to racist comments."

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