The equality and human rights watchdog published a report outlining the steps agencies had taken to address disability related harassment between 2012 and 2013. It said that some public bodies had made progress and that many of the recommendations in the Commission's Manifesto for Change (published in 2012) had been adopted, but more needed to be done. It said the Commission particularly welcomed a more victim-focused approach, and measures to prevent reoffending.
Source: Manifesto for Change: Progress report 2013, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report | EHRC press release
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined the issue of adding a gender-based category concerned with violence against women to British hate crime legislation. Reporting on a recent study, it said most participants believed that a hate crime approach would involve practical and conceptual difficulties, but that the possible symbolic benefits were likely to outweigh the potential practical disadvantages.
Source: Aisha Gill and Hannah Mason-Bish, 'Addressing violence against women as a form of hate crime: limitations and possibilities', Feminist Review, Volume 105
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Nov
Campaigners published a report examining homophobic hate crime and incidents. One in six lesbian, gay, and bisexual people had experienced a hate crime or incident in the previous three years. The report noted that fewer than one-quarter of victims reported the incident to the police and two thirds did not report it to anyone. A guidance document was also published for issue to all police forces.
Source: April Guasp, Anne Gammon, and Gavin Ellison, Homophobic Hate Crime: The Gay British Crime Survey 2013, Stonewall
Links: Report | Guide | Stonewall press release | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Oct
An article examined the management of hate crime in the South West of England, looking at the implementation of hate crime policy across agencies. The research found some good practice and effective multi-agency working, alongside evidence of policy drift both between and within agencies.
Source: Zoe James and Lesley Simmonds, 'Exploring prejudice: managing hate crime in the South West of England', Crime Prevention & Community Safety, Volume 15 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Oct
A report said that the European Union and its member states were guilty of failing to tackle homophobic and transphobic hate crime. It highlighted gaps in the legislation of many countries where sexual orientation and gender identity were not explicitly included as grounds on which hate crimes could be prosecuted, along with the inadequacy of EU standards on hate crime for tackling homophobic and transphobic violence.
Source: Because of Who I Am: Homophobia, transphobia and hate crimes in Europe, Amnesty International UK
Links: Report | Amnesty press release | Womensgrid report
Date: 2013-Sep
A study examined what was known about the perpetrators of hate crimes in England and Wales, and their motivations.
Source: Colin Roberts, Martin Innes, Matthew Williams, Jasmin Tregidga, and David Gadd, Understanding who Commits Hate Crime and Why they Do It, Welsh Government
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jul
An official advisory body began consultation on whether there was a case for reforming the law so that existing hate crime offences in respect of race and religion should be extended to cover sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability.
Source: Hate Crime: The Case for Extending the Existing Offences, LC213, Law Commission
Links: Consultation document | Summary
Date: 2013-Jun
An article examined the exclusion of age and gender from hate crime policy.
Source: Hannah Mason-Bish, 'Examining the boundaries of hate crime policy: considering age and gender', Criminal Justice Policy Review, Volume 24 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Apr
The joint inspectorate report said that victims of disability hate crime were being let down by the criminal justice system, and that progress to improve their experience of reporting offences had been too slow. All agencies needed to do more to ensure that disability hate crime was treated on an equal footing with other hate crimes, and that victims had the confidence to report crimes.
Source: Living in a Different World: Joint review of disability hate crime, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary/HM Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service/HM Chief Inspector of Probation
Links: Report | HMIC press release | ACPO press release | Scope press release | BBC report | Community Care report | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Mar
An article said that disabled people in England and Wales were at increased risk of being victims of domestic and non-domestic violence, and of suffering mental ill-health when victimized. The related public health and economic burden called for an urgent assessment of the causes of this violence, and national policies on violence prevention.
Source: Hind Khalifeh, Louise Howard, David Osborn, Paul Moran, and Sonia Johnson, 'Violence against people with disability in England and Wales: findings from a national cross-sectional survey', PLoS ONE, Volume 8 Number 2
Links: Article
Date: 2013-Mar
An article examined how restorative justice was conceptualized within the hate crime context.
Source: Theo Gavrielides, 'Contextualizing restorative justice for hate crime', Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Volume 27 Number 18
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jan