Three of four hate crimes racist: report

Published: 29 Jun 09 09:28 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/20342/20090629/

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Three of four reported hate crimes are xenophobic or racially motivated, according to a new report from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brottsförebyggande rådet).

The report also shows that illegal threats and harassment are the most common types of hate crime. Last year, almost 5,900 hate crimes (crimes with the intention of offending the victim) were reported in Sweden.

Almost 72 percent (4,225) were judged to have racial or xenophobic motives, 18 percent (1,055) were related to sexual orientation and 10 percent (around 600) had anti-religious motives.

The most common crimes are illegal threats and harassment, which occur twice as often as violent hate crimes.

“That remains unchanged, which previous years' reports have also shown. These are crimes that occur in people's daily lives, a neighbour or a total stranger who might yell something about ethnic origin,” said Anna Molarin, one of the report's authors.

Compared to 2007, the number of hate crimes reported in 2008 increased by 2,350 incidents. The number has increased every year since 1999, when around 2,000 hate crimes were reported.

But several changes in the criteria for the crime mean that the figures aren't comparable. Last year, the definition of “hate crime” was changed. For example, hate crimes between minority groups, biphobia, heterophobia and transphobia now all fall under the hate crime rubric.

The council is also now tracking xenophobic hate crimes between minority groups and against Afro-Swedes and Roma people.

“We have seen in the police reports that these groups are particularly vulnerable,” said Molarin.

An increased inclination to report crimes and improved police routines also explain the increase.

“Police are working more and more with these crimes. In Stockholm, for instance, there is a hate crimes division with 4-5 specially trained officers who work with these crimes full-time,” explained Molarin.

But hate crimes are hard to resolve. Of all hate crimes reported in 2007, in only 8 percent of the cases was someone prosecuted, sentenced or formally cautioned.

The most difficult cases to resolve were Islamophobic hate crimes where an individual could be tied to the crime in only 5 percent of incidents.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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10:34 June 29, 2009 by Dazzler
We can file this one under the "DUH" heading.

Next report they should attempt to find out if booze contributes to violent outbursts at a football match.
11:05 June 29, 2009 by bekililly
i think that is a minor research you people have done.your investigation should try i do the real hatred whereby Swedish companies or offices will not send letters of bills home for immigrant because of your name and that you don't bear Swedish names. on the long run they will sent your name to kronorfoghe,after waiting fro 5 month the koronorfoghe will send you a bill that of 22,000 kronor, initially bill was maybe 10 kronor . this is the real hatred. try to threat people right and always say the truth because we believe you to show a good example of a model.
11:31 June 29, 2009 by Brtahan
everyone in this world think they are the best and they are pure blood where scientificaly all of us have same blood, same origins but weather and landscape changed they way we look either black or white , so they way to solve this is to put adds on tv educate ppl atleast here in sweden, but not everyone are racist . yesterday i saw a movie lakeview Terrace. it was nice . Education from childhood is the way to solve the problem .
11:37 June 29, 2009 by occassional
Funny how the very 'we-are-one' loudmouths are also not without sin. Somehow this article doesn't surprise me. Afraid to say is too late to close the stable door after the horse has bolted...
12:28 June 29, 2009 by jimmyjames
I am always amazed how only Caucasions of European Ancestery are labeled as evil racists , bigots, ect. You can show African Pride and it is OK even encouraged, same with Roma, Jewish, Asian, ect. BUT, if you show Caucasion Pride, European Pride, Swedish Pride that is BAD !!, WRONG !!, EVIL !! I have been all over the world and lived and worked on every continent. I have never encountered a culture, race, ethnic group, or tribe who did not attempt to protect their people,their culture,their language, and their religion. Everyone instinctually knows that to do otherwise is to invite extinction. Self-preservation is the most PRIME DIRECTIVE programmed into all mammals. To pretend otherwise is foolhardy in the extreme.
14:15 June 29, 2009 by Grippen
Specially trained police to deal with minority groups crimes only contributes to further segregation of those minority groups. And the illustration can be changed to the following: http://ru.fishki.net/picsw/062009/26/demotiv/043.jpg
14:49 June 29, 2009 by unkle strunkle
What a sensible and politically correct decison to include heterophobia in the law. I certainly feel safer. The next logical inclusion will be whitephobia and they'll have gone full circle and realise that hate is a factor in every crime. They're clearly a very clued-in bunch at Brottsförebyggande rådet.
15:40 June 29, 2009 by KipHamilton
I have no problem with hate crime legislation, as long as it is evenly and fairly applied. When Muslims and other minorities are harrassed for ethnic and religious reasons, the perpetrators should be prosecuted. When Muslims or other minorities harrass others for ethnic and religious reasons, they too should be prosecuted.
16:04 June 29, 2009 by Querist
"Almost 72 percent (4,225) were judged to have racial or xenophobic motives, 18 percent (1,055) were related to sexual orientation and 10 percent (around 600) had anti-religious motives."

Question: Why aren't crimes against females, i.e. RAPE, not covered by Hate Crimes Laws?

.They should be included.

.
16:16 June 29, 2009 by Jeffi
Physical assault crimes are covered in a different section of the law.
16:17 June 29, 2009 by Elcompadre
What kind of people do you refer to when you say "Roma" or "Roma people"

never came across that term here in NY, unless you refer to italians from Rome.??
16:24 June 29, 2009 by Omaro
Racists people are one of the most disgusting creatures on the planet. They are worse than animals.
16:42 June 29, 2009 by PicaQ
Neo-Nazism and the like probably occurs because the person is raised in a conforming and uniform society where everyone speaks the same language and looks/acts the same or in a similar and socially accepted manner; when an idea or a person who is different comes along, it may be perceived as a threat. Children should learn about other cultures and be exposed to multiculturalism by visiting museums, or learning about it in school. This way, they would grow up being curious about something new instead of being afraid a running away from/attacking it. In my high school (California), whenever there's a foreign exchange student at our school, he/she instantly becomes popular and is bombarded with questions about them and their country.

Oddly enough, like what jimmyjames said, there are several clubs at our school made by students for different religions and ethnicities, and interests from the Muslim Student Organization, to the Black Student Union and the Asian Pacific Islander clubs (unfortunately, the Martial Arts club was discontinued because it was "too dangerous" yet our Color Guard team is still allowed despite all the head injuries we got from dropping spinning flags on ourselves), but one of my acquaintances complained that he was not allowed to form a "white club" and that people fail to acknowledge discrimination towards Caucasians via reverse-discrimination and affirmative action.

Elcompadre: I undoubtedly assume that "the Roma" referred to in this article is talking about the ethnic Gypsies who are sent to refugee camps near lead smelters by the UN, and are unaccepted by any country, especially Serbia.
16:47 June 29, 2009 by Dazzler
Its a term used for Romanian gypsy mostly.
19:37 June 29, 2009 by shpongle
All humans are worse than animals though, so don't talk about animals that way.
19:46 June 29, 2009 by BillyB
Three out of Four traffic crimes involve cars

Such shocking revelations
20:36 June 29, 2009 by Torvig
Why is it considered hate to express that you want your people to exist?

I would like to have a shirt like the one shown with the photo.
20:50 June 29, 2009 by justanotherexpat
Would you really, Torvig? Then you're a fool and a bigot. Take out the word "vita" and ostensibly there's nothing wrong with the sentiment expressed - every country has the right to defend itself and its population, but there's nothing to say that "Swedish" has to equal "white" - it's abundantly clear what message is being portrayed by the wearer - and you are at worst willingly and at best unwittingly promoting that message.
21:13 June 29, 2009 by DAVID T
http://www.thelocal.se/20146/20090618/

Half a million un-employed in Sweden - how many of those are immigrants? Also how many immigrants are there in Sweden? Why let more in when there's not enough jobs? Any wonder why tax payers get fed up - more immigrants = more handouts.
21:49 June 29, 2009 by justanotherexpat
You asked the question, you provide the answer.

I'm an immigrant and I have a job, so am also a taxpayer.

But then again I am white - so I look like one of you................thankfully I'm not as pig-ignorantly narrow-minded.
21:55 June 29, 2009 by spy
What a revaluation!

Racial and religious prejudice are both recorded as racism. Gender bias is usually reported as harassment or another crime and so these crimes fall outside of this report. No surprises here.

I am mainly prejudiced against stupid people who massage statistics and then still report the blindingly obvious.
22:35 June 29, 2009 by Uncle
Why would rape be a hate crime? More often than not it is not directed as an expression of hatred towards all the women, unlike beating up an african on the street for him being african.

Like this, any murder, robbery and child abuse would be considered a hate crime, by that diluting the stats of the real Nazi movement in Europe.

And if we already at it, why wouldn't we discuss the vague definition of rape in the Swedish law?

http://www.thelocal.se/19376/20090511/
22:39 June 29, 2009 by spy
I think you have answered your own question in your first paragraph.
23:56 June 29, 2009 by Playmaker
what is good for the goose is good for the gander. if it is ok to have brown or black pride then it is ok to have white pride. it seems like it is ok for every race and women to be proud, but white males.
07:22 June 30, 2009 by Gurkhan
why am i not surprised to see this result of the report??
07:30 June 30, 2009 by Ragamuffin_99
Atheism is a non-prophet organization. George Carlin
23:37 July 12, 2009 by frosti
Of course, Sweden's government prefers to ignore the numerous deliberate hate crimes that are committed by muslim thugs against whites. Not to mention the rampant antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, and other characteristics demonstrated by said muslim thugs.

Way to go Sweden! Highest rape rate in Europe, unemployment now three times that of Norway, murders, arsons, RPG attacks against apartment buildings, muslim idiots wielding automatic weapons on the streets, massive government debt due to supporting huge numbers of unqualified, uneducated people who prefer not to work etc. etc. ... The multicultural paradise!

Things are so bad now that you are coming over to Norway to work - there is no longer any future in Sweden. Personally, I think you deserve it. Don't come over to our country because you ruined your own. And we definitely don't want your politics and your other problems here.
13:29 July 13, 2009 by conboy
I understand you oppose muslim extremists so do I! I hope you also support the authorities when they are forced into dealing with nazi and anarchist thugs firebombing and beating people up.
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