Hate and Bias Crimes

Quick Facts/Overview

* Sixty-one percent of hate crime incidents were motivated by race, fourteen percent by religion, thirteen percent by sexual orientation, eleven percent by ethnicity, and one percent by disability (Strom, 2001).

* In 2000, there was a total of 2,475 separate incidents against the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender population. Sixty-four percent of the victims were male and seventy-seven percent identified themselves as lesbian or gay (Moore, 2001).

* There were 602 active hate groups in the United States in 2000. Of these, 110 can be categorized as Ku Klux Klan groups, 180 as Neo-Nazis, 39 as Racist Skinheads, 32 as Christian Identity groups, 48 as Black Separatists, 88 as Neo-Confederates, and the remaining 105 are classified as other (Potok, Spring 2001).

* In 2000, there were 366 active hate sites on the Internet, up from 305 in 1999. Of these, 97 can be classified as Ku Klux Klan, 80 as Neo-Nazis, 19 as Racist Skinheads, 30 as Christian Identity, 7 as Black Separatists, 18 as Neo-Confederate, and 115 remaining websites can be classified as other (Ibid).

* In 1999, there was a total of 7,876 hate crime incidents reported. Racial bias was the motivating factor in 4,295 of these incidents, religious bias in 1,411, sexual orientation bias in 1,317, ethnic bias in 829, and disability bias in 19 (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2000).

Victim Responses

Hate crime may have particularly damaging effects on its victims, their families and the communities of which they are a part. A sense of anger is one of the common responses to being the victim of a hate crime, but so is a deep sense of personal hurt and betrayal.  Victim's experience feelings of powerlessness, isolation, sadness and suspicion. Fear is another pervasive victim response. Victims fear for their own safety and for their family’s safety. Most report changes in their lifestyle such as where they walk, how they answer the phone, reactions to strangers, suspicion of co-workers, and other such changes. Fear can take on paranoid qualities and drastically disrupt the lives of some victims. One of the most common reactions is a sense of injustice, and a corresponding loss of faith in law enforcement and the whole criminal justice system, which is often felt to be insensitive and disinterested.

As pointed out by the results of studies conducted by the National Institute Against Prejudice and Violence (now The Prejudice Institute at Towson State University): The feelings of vulnerability due to criminal reactions by others can lead to stress and self-dehumanization. The victim may view himself or herself as perpetually vulnerable or that his or her existence is the cause of this violence is unhealthy and maladaptive. It is important that victims not fall into the common trap of self-blame and recognize that their orientation did not lead to the attack, but rather consider “that this was not a random attack, but a premeditated, purposeful act, aimed at...their community” (Serving Victims of Bias Crimes, 1992).

Particular note should be taken of how important it has been to victims [of hate crimes] whether others in the community seemed to care about what had happened to them. “No one seemed to care” is reported by numerous persons of varied ethnic backgrounds, always with a deep sense of disappointment. When others seemed not to care, the effects on victims were intensified. Such a perceived lack of concern, whether from neighbors, strangers, officials, or whomever, added to a sense of isolation. Somehow, when others do care, the trauma is softened. When others seemed not to care, victims experienced the incidents as portentous, calling into question their entire outlook on the world. Considerations for Victims

The victim has the right to not report an incident if he or she so chooses. If the attack requires hospitalization, medical service providers may be required to report the incident to the police. If so, the victim may identify the attack as hate-related or not. There are several arguments for reporting the incident as hate-related. Without documentation as to the prevalence hate crimes, there is less justification for legislation to be enacted which will hopefully decrease the frequency of these crimes. Just as legislation requires justification to be enacted, so do programs set up in response to specific problems.

Without input from victims, community patrols or other programs may be suspended. On an interpersonal level, increased exposure to diverse people may work toward dispelling negative stereotypes, and thus reduce a perceived threat to would-be offenders.

Information courtesy of the National Center for Victims of Crime

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