Crime data shows that in the past five years, the number of aggravated burglaries and robberies carried out by people of a Sudanese background has been increasing. However, the young people say the reporting of these crimes has been heavily racialised and had a significant and detrimental impact on their lives. "It was very, very clear that this has created an environment where racism has become more problematic and more visible in various aspects of their lives," Dr Jarrett Blaustein from Monash University said. The report was released this week as a series of violent crimes unfolded involving young offenders described as being of African appearance. As many as 15 youths bashed a young chef outside St Kilda's popular Donovans restaurant on Thursday night.

On Tuesday night, up to six men smashed their way into a house in Brunswick West wielding knives and hammers, before stealing a Jeep Cherokee. It was followed by a Halloween-night crime spree during which five men ambushed a young mother in her driveway and threatened her with a machete before stealing her car. Dr Blaustein said the 28 young people interviewed, mostly young women, were frustrated, but highly motivated and capable. "They’re not asking for special consideration, they’re not playing the victim card. It’s really about the long-term impact on their opportunities and that this will translate into discrimination in the workplace and impact on their educational opportunities," he said. This is what they had to say on:

Moomba "The hardest thing about growing up here would have to be after the Moomba riots ... As soon as that came, like, everything changed. For the worse." "Since that night they basically are trying to say that all us Sudanese are like that, like, we’re all thugs. We all steal. We all fight and everything, and that’s not what it is." Racism "Every time [my male siblings] were walking outside or something, they would be called an Apex, or, like, they would be named, like they were discriminated, and like racism overtook, like it become more, like, high key than it was before."

"And then when I go into a comments section on Facebook ... it’s just everyone agreeing, ‘Oh, send them back.’ Um, ‘These dogs, deport them,’ and all these things. So, the comments really hurt me more." Being in public "Every time I go to like a store or something they always like have all their eyes on me, like, if I’m gonna steal something ... stop following me around Coles." "We did get out of a shop once ... when I was with my two black mates and a white one. We got kicked out ... the black ones, but the white one stayed." "Back home you see people in a group. You never see a sister or brother walking alone ... So instead of having to invest time and seeing it in a positive way, they [white Australians] choose to see it in a negative way ... they [the media] want people to be scared."

Police "I went out last week and we were getting off the trains and the police was like, 'No, you can’t get off'. Just to – just to the black people." "They had this basketball tournament ... But there was like obviously white people there. We did not see a single police. But when it came to the tournament ... the Sudanese one ... there was police everywhere." School "I get really offended in class when ... I hate this so much, when in class when your teacher’s telling a story and says, ‘African’ or ‘black’. ... Straight away it’s like they look at you."

Their parents "It’s created, like, more conflict between like the older generation and the younger generation." "Our parents are impacted by it. Because, like, they fear us going out because they think we’re going to start doing things, all that." Belonging "Victoria’s actually one of the longest places ... I’ve actually stayed in one spot, so to me, this is home. I’m not going anywhere. So, it’s the best thing. It’s the best feeling … getting to meet all these amazing people from different backgrounds, and from different cultures. And also, having a say."