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Knowledge-sharing key to tackling hate crimes in EU
EU member states are strengthening their joint approach to hate crime and improving victim support. From now on, they will be able to use an online compendium to share their methods for reporting and registering hate crimes. The Minister of Security and Justice, Ard van der Steur, and the director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), Micheal O’Flaherty, launched the website recently in Amsterdam at a conference on tackling hate crime.
The website was developed by the FRA and presents practical guidelines for law enforcement and policymakers that can be applied in the member states.
Mr van der Steur believes it is a step in the right direction that ‘offers a platform to exchange information and learn from each other’s experiences. On helping victims to take the difficult first step and report hate crimes. On how to make the best use of our law enforcement capacity. We should not let geographical boundaries get in the way of success.’
EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Věra Jourová and FRA director Michael O'Flaherty said that this is an important step. Ms Jourová: ‘Hate crime is an affront to the EU’s core values. We are seeing fundamental rights breached across the EU every day, as people are attacked for what they look like, what they believe, and who they are.’ According to Mr O'Flaherty, ‘In order to combat hate crime effectively, we need to pool our resources and look at what is already working.’
Greater effectiveness and the right training
Knowledge-sharing is a key focus of the two-day EU conference. After the website was launched, delegations from Finland, Croatia and Ireland gave presentations on their best practices for reporting and recording hate crimes, on cooperating more effectively and on the importance of providing the right training for dealing with these types of crimes.
Hate crimes are common in the European Union, but the motives behind them are often unclear. This is because when criminal complaints are filed and offenders are prosecuted, the focus is on the crimes themselves. As a result, victims feel misunderstood. To combat hate crime in the EU more effectively and improve victim support, member states need to discuss the best ways to report and register these crimes.
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