Tracing Hate Crime
4 January 2010
Taking it to the streets - Race Equality first fundraising officer Constantino Dumangane, Mohammed Tufail and Dr Matthew Williams
Relatively little is known about the true extent of hate crime and its impact on victims. Reporting levels are amongst the lowest for all crimes meaning a substantial dark figure exists. Police estimate that most racist and religious hatred crimes, and as much as 90% of homophobic hate crime, goes unreported.
This lack of data precludes national and local agencies from developing evidence-based policy to combat hate crime and provide suitable support for victims.
Several sources indicate hate crime is a growing problem in Wales. Race Equality First’s ‘Race Hate Crime Survey 2009’ indicated that 59% of BME individuals in Cardiff experienced a race hate crime in 2008/9. Data from Stonewall Cymru’s Counted Survey (2003), analysed by researchers in the School of Social Sciences, revealed 1 in 3 gay people had been victim to homophobic violence or bullying.
Dr Matthew Williams in the School of Social Sciences, in partnership with Race Equality First and the Cardiff and Vale Equality and Human Rights Network have been awarded a grant by the Big Lottery Fund to study the prevalence and impact of hate crime in Wales.
The study will consider hate crimes based on race & ethnicity, religion, disability, sexuality and age. The team came together when the BLF research programme call was announced. As the BLF only fund third sector organizations Race Equality First sought an academic partner to fulfill the research element of the project. Cardiff University’s School of Social Sciences was an obvious choice given their international reputation for research on equality and diversity.
Mohammed Tufail OBE Director of Race Equality First said “We are grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for the award, which will enable us to indentify the real level of hate crime in Wales, and working with our partners to develop solutions to ensure all our residents are able to enjoy a quality of life free from hate and fear of hate. We are committed to principal of One Wales and making equality real for all”
The research will be the first of its kind in Wales and will inform the Welsh Assembly Government’s One Wales agenda which aims to “improve the quality of life of people in all of Wales’ communities, from all walks of life, and especially the most vulnerable or disadvantaged.”