Hate and Community Safety - Stride Tips
What is a Hate Crime?
Any criminal offence committed against a person or property, which is motivated in whole or in part by the suspects of hate, prejudice or bias against an individual or a community based on raze, ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or any similar factor.
Hate Crimes Examples
- Assault
- Distribution of hate propaganda that promotes violence
- Uttering threats
- Graffiti
- Destruction of Religious Symbols
When something is prosecuted as a hate crime, rather than just a “normal” crime, the offender can receive increased sentencing when the crime is motivated by hate.
What’s a Hate Incident?
It’s an act motivated by hate or bias that is not criminal in nature but can cause serious harm to individuals and communities. Incidents can lead to criminal behaviour.
Hate Incidents Examples
- Bullying motivated by hate.
- Saying racial or homophobic slurs or name-calling.
- Racist or offensive emails, jokes or other prejudicial actions.
It is important to report all hate incidents to law enforcement authorities in order to combat hate.
What’s Hate Speech?
Speech that attacks a person or a marginalized community; it’s intent is to offend, insult, intimidate or threaten. Hate speech however is not criminal in nature unless it is a call to action to incite violence against a specific community.
Hate Speech Examples
- Distribution of material promoting hate, such as online videos, that call for violence and attacks on a group of people
How Are Hate Crimes Different From OtherCrimes?
- Hate crimes are “message crimes” designed to instill fear in a specific community.
- Only 1 in 10 hate crimes are reported to law enforcement officials.
- Hate crimes enhance feelings of victimization, vulnerability and fear.
- Hate crimes can polarize communities and prevent them from supporting each other.
- May enhance loss of trust and/or fear in law enforcement.
- Heightens security concerns at schools, home or places of worship.
There is no prosecution against hate incidents; however it’s necessary to report them. It is also necessary to report hate speech, even if it does not cross the threshold of inciting violence. If the hate occurs in the workplace or when accessing public services, the Alberta Human Rights Act comes into play and complaints can be filed.