Test: have I encountered hatred?
A hate crime is a crime motivated by hostile, discriminatory attitudes of the perpetrator against a person or a community on the grounds of their age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, nationality, language, origin, social status, faith, beliefs and opinions. This can include hate-motivated assaults, damage to property, shouting derogatory slogans in the street, defacing graves, houses of worship, leaving messages or symbols, comments on the internet, etc.
This test will tell you whether the incident you experienced is a hate crime.
Do you think the offender’s attitude towards you was negative because of your nationality, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability and other personal identity characteristics?
Did the aggressor during the crime:
- react negatively to your speech, accent or pronunciation?
- react negatively to your appearance: skin color, eye shape, visible disability, etc.?
- react negatively to the clothes you wear, symbols (if any) reflecting your religion, views or other personal identity traits? For example, hijab, LGBT*, feminism, political activism and other signs?
- harm you because they thought you belonged to a social group defined by nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, etc.?
- harmed you because of your possible association with a person from a socially vulnerable group?
- take advantage of the fact that your identity might make you an easier target? For example, taking advantage of your disability, age, lack of language skills, etc.?
Did the crime take place in a place of importance to the community? For example, in a synagogue, at an LGBT* community center, at a site important to ethnic communities, at thematic events?
Did the crime take place at a time of importance to the community? For example, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Pride, Krishnaites marching, etc.?
Did the aggressor use words or gestures to express hostility towards the social group you represent?
Did the perpetrator’s appearance, gestures, clothing and other details indicate that he might be openly supportive of racist, homophobic, sexist and similar ideas?
Was there a disturbance to a service, ceremony or religious celebration?
- bullying on the basis of your nationality, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability, race, language, origin, social status, religion, beliefs or opinions?
- stigmatization because of your personal identity traits, your belonging to a social group?
- hatred incited against you on the basis of your nationality, sexual orientation, religion and other personal identity?
- discrimination incited against you or a social group to which you belong to on the basis of your personal identity?
- incitement to violence, physical violence against you or a social group to which you belong?
- genocide or other (war) crimes against humanity being publicly and aggressively approved?
- public and aggressive denying or grossly undermining genocide or other (war) crimes against humanity?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have been the victim of a hate crime. We suggest you report it to the police or other responsible authority.