Black Lives Matter – AGIP’s Statement on Opposition to Racism

AGIP understands and supports the protests against racism that have taken place around the world following the murder of George Floyd in May. We agree that Black Lives Matter.

AGIP sees the death of George Floyd – one of so many not only in the US but in Britain and other countries – as a reflection of systemic and structural inequality and racism that has taken place over centuries and continues to this day. That racism and inequality is today evident across our society in statistics of employment, economic inequality, denial of opportunity, violence, in the treatment of migrants and refugees, in the criminal justice system and in the trauma and distress that we see in psychotherapy and mental health services. Most immediately it is reflected in the terrible and disproportionate impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on black, Asian and minority ethnic people.

AGIP believes racism to be an unacceptable blight on our society. For things to change we all must take responsibility for speaking out and challenging racism. From our wider engagement with society through to our training, structures, policies and service delivery AGIP is committed to opposing racism. We will continue to call on our psychoanalytic understanding of racism in combatting it and as an organisation, we have long been committed to equality. But we know there is more that can and must be done and we are committed to working with others against racism and within our own structures to do all we can to uphold inclusion, anti-racism and equality.

AGIP supports the UKCP statement:

https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/ukcp-news/midweek-mindset/ukcp-statement-racial-injustice/

AGIP also supports the statement by Anthea Benjamin, published by the UKCP, which can be found here:

https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/blog/the-therapy-community-must-commit-to-anti-racist-practice/