Hate crimes and acting

Hate crime, it's a offence whose main characteristic lies in the motivation of the author, which consists of rejection or hostility towards the one he considers different. Victims are selected more by what they represent than for what they are. The offender chooses the victim in question by some characteristic that identifies it with a group, town or community which the author rejects, showing behaviors of intolerance, hostility or discrimination because it considers, based on stereotypes y prejudices, which has fewer rights than the rest. This is a crime in which the victim is denied rights because of his or her status.

Hate crime manifests itself in many different ways, such as:

• Insults
• Injuries
• Threats
• Verbal or written abuse
• Harassment
• Physical or Psychic Assaults
• Injuries
• Damage to property
• Offensive Paintings

It is also a hate crime to commit any conduct or action that damages the dignity of the victim himself or herself and is based on his or her race, language, origin, sexual or gender status, possible disability, religion, social status or any other similar characteristic.

Infringement

According to the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), only about 11 are reported% of hate crimes committed (only 18.2% of the persons who reported having experienced a discriminatory situation claim to have filed a complaint in this regard, according to CEDRE studies). This circumstance makes the fight against these crimes very difficult and generates great helplessness for the victims.. The most common reasons why victims do not file a complaint are:

• Fear of reprisals. Fear of reprisals is a common denominator for victims of hate crimes. The serious consequences left on the victim by the crime he has suffered, cement the fear of being subjected to new aggressions if they file a complaint.
• Normalization of violence and discrimination. There are people who have been victims of hatred and discrimination all their lives, a circumstance that causes the integration of these violent behaviors in their daily lives.
• Distrust of the Institutions. Victims think they won't listen to them, or that reporting won't do any good. The treatment of victims by the Administration and the State Security Forces and Bodies is essential to build trust and to take the step of filing a complaint.
• Lack of awareness on the part of the authorities of the reality of the victims. This lack of knowledge may result in the circumstances surrounding the victim not being correctly assessed when dealing with the reported facts.
• Foreigners in an irregular situation fear punishment or expulsion from the country if they come to report.
• The victim thinks that if she reports, they won't believe her.
• Fear of revealing intimacies. There are people who, for example, do not want to make their sexual orientation or gender identity visible when reporting.
• Ignorance of rights. Victims do not know where and how to report.
• Poor stock offering. Offering actions enables the victim to exercise his or her rights in criminal proceedings. It must be done in clear and understandable language for people who do not know the legal terms. If the victim does not understand the information transmitted to him, he is likely not to take the legal action that corresponds to him.
• Improper referrals to the Municipal Consumer Office. The lack of technical knowledge about hate crimes suffered by some operators involved in caring for victims sometimes results in them being unduly referred to the Municipal Consumer Office, instead of being processed the appropriate complaint in criminal proceedings.
• Propensity to consider the facts as minor. The lack of training, or poor investigation, means that not all the legal assets affected by the perpetration of the crime are valued and for that reason, all too often, facts constituting a hate crime are considered minor crimes with the consequent damage to the victim. This misclassification of the facts complained of also affects the group to which the victim belongs that loses confidence in the institutions.

How to report a hate crime

Call emergency services 091 o 062 if police intervention is necessary, checking first if you need medical attention.

Report the facts to the Security Forces and Bodies, present the necessary documentation (medical parts in the case of injuries, screenshots with messages, etc ...) and remember that you can have the company of a person who offers support while reporting.

Your complaint is the only way to end hate crimes and prevent other potential victims from suffering them. If you decide to report, follow these tips:

• Provide as much information as possible. Don't underestimate any data. Tell the authorities everything you remember about the perpetrator and the circumstances of the crime: height, tattoos, anagrams, symbols, clothing, etc. Try to accurately describe the aggressor's words.
• Keep as much evidence as you can. If you have suffered an attack on your property or belongings, try to preserve them for reporting. It will be essential to prove that such an offence is involved.
• Identify potential witnesses. If anyone else can corroborate the facts, let the authorities know.
• Go to an association. Contact a group (immigrants, LGTBIQ+, association of people with disabilities, defense of human rights, etc.) that can advise you. They usually have legal services and are likely to be able to help you file a complaint.
• Record everything you remember. A notebook or a mobile phone will suffice. You may not be sure to report now, but if you decide to do so, it will help you not to forget details that can be fundamental.
• Ask for medical reports. If you have suffered injuries, request a medical report and attach it to the report.
• Request an interpreter. If you have difficulty expressing yourself in Spanish, ask for a translator. It's your right.