Hate crime strategy

Appendix 2

Research on hate crime in Scotland

The Scottish Household Survey (SHS) collects information on peoples' experiences of discrimination and harassment in the last 12 months, in addition to the perceived reasons for such experiences. In 2019, 8% of adults in Scotland reported having experienced discrimination in the last 12 months.^[34] This rose to 22% for Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual adults, whilst 19% of ethnic minorities had experienced discrimination. The most common perceived reasons for discrimination were all experienced by at least 1 in every 10 adult that had been discriminated against: sex or gender (16%), nationality (16%), health problems or disability (14%), mental ill health (13%) and age (13%).^[35]

In 2019, 6% of adults in Scotland had experienced harassment in the last 12 months.^[36] The most common perceived reasons for harassment were all experienced by at least 1 in every 10 adult that had been harassed: nationality (13%), mental ill health (11%), sex or gender (11%), ethnicity (10%) and other health problems or disability (10%).^[37]

Adults who belonged to a religion other than a Christian denomination experienced significantly higher levels of both discrimination and harassment.^[38]

The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) also collects information on peoples' experiences of discrimination and harassment in the last 12 months, by examining whether they had experienced any incidents in which they were insulted, pestered or intimidated in any way. In 2019/20, 13% of adults said that they had been insulted, pestered or intimidated in the previous year, in line with the proportion of respondents who experienced such incidents in 2008/09 and 2018/19.

Across most of the population sub-groups the SCJS found that there were no differences in the proportion that said they had been insulted; pestered or intimidated in the previous year, however the proportion was higher among victims than non-victims (30% compared to 10%, respectively).

Around three-in-five (61%) did not think any of their characteristics were an influencing factor in their most recent (or only) experience of harassment. 11% thought that their gender, gender identity or perception of this was a possible motivating factor, while 9% believed their age and 8% believed their ethnic origin or race was a possible influence.

In 2016, Maureen McBride conducted a review of the evidence on hate crime and violent prejudice in Scotland.^[39] As part of this research, McBride surveyed a series of key stakeholders comprising national and local organisations to explore organisational data collection, usage, and perceived gaps in information. The study underscored the underreporting of hate crime in official data and emphasised problems associated with the aggregation of, and different definitions of, protected group characteristics. Aggregation of protected group categories was also considered to obscure underlying patterns and trends. The report observed: "while reported crimes related [to] race/ethnicity have declined in the most recent reporting year, there have been reported increases among some particular ethnic/national groups."^[40]

Stakeholder organisations taking part in McBride's study reported many and widespread experiences of direct harm (direct experiences of being targeted and harmed through hate crime and discriminatory practices). They also emphasised that hate crimes perpetrated on the basis of multiple characteristics were typical; and that the contemporary focus on 'hate crimes' obscured the ordinariness of much of the prejudice that minority groups face. In addition, the research drew attention to marginalised perspectives in hate crime research, noting that people with learning disabilities are less likely to take part in research due to accessibility issues, while people in prison may experience hate crime but lack the support to report or challenge it.^[41]

Drawing on the wider academic literature on hate crime, Kevin Kane's report for Victim Support Scotland similarly suggests that "some of the most vulnerable victims of hate crime are excluded from existing policy and legislative frameworks."^[42] These groups include: the elderly, homeless, asylum seekers/refugees, and Gypsy/Travellers. As noted in the Taking Stock of Violence in Scotland report, these groups are not identified using the protected characteristics from equality legislation but can conceivably be classed as "stigmatised and marginalised groups", against whom there is evidence of longstanding violence and intimidation.^[43]

The Taking Stock of Violence report notes that hate crime in Scotland should be a focus of future research, as it has received relatively little attention to date. Furthermore, future research needs to attend to the experiences of multiply marginalised groups, including those with learning disabilities.^[44]

Phillippa Wiseman and Nick Watson conducted qualitative research with 22 adults with learning difficulties from across Scotland to explore their views and experiences of hate crime.^[45] The study found that all participants had experienced violence in the course of their lives and in a range of settings. Participants reported violent incidents and experiences of hate crimes, linked to them having a learning disability, including: name calling, bullying, targeted harassment and physical violence, stalking, home invasion, theft, and financial crime/exploitation. While some participants identified violence specifically as hate crime, others talked about violence in more everyday general terms. For most participants, experience of violence was ongoing and weekly, if not every day. These experiences led some participants to be too afraid to leave the house, to go on public transport, to carry out essential tasks (e.g. get food shopping) and to take part in their everyday community activities. Participants noted the detrimental effects this had on their health and wellbeing, with some having to move areas.^[46]