Hate Crime Motives in Austria: Ethnicity, Ideology and Religion
The Ministry of the Interior released a report on hate crimes in Austria. The report showed that the leading hate crime motives were ethnicity, ideology, and religion. Read more about the report.
Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (center), General Reinhard Schnakl Deputy Director-General for Public Security (left), and police student and top athlete Karim Mabrouk (right) presenting the "Hate Crime in Austria" report. / Picture: © Bundeskanzleramt (BKA) / Florian Schrötter
Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer unveiled a report entitled “Hate Crime in Austria” that documented hate crimes from November 2020 to April 2021. At the press conference, Nehammer stressed, “The police in Austria have a social responsibility to prosecute prejudice-motivated crimes and to prevent them at their roots.”
The Interior Minister also stated, “The Ministry of the Interior takes responsibility seriously, reacts and records criminal offenses. Policemen and women act as role models in dealing with such offenses. They are often the first point of contact for victims, especially those of 'hate crime.' Awareness-raising works internally and externally, so it is important that all employees work professionally and impartially. We take 'hate crime' seriously and record it on the basis of a victim-centered approach. In this way, we can guarantee consistent and qualified criminal prosecution and give victims the protection they deserve.”
Systematic recording of prejudice motives
General Reinhard Schnakl, the Deputy Director-General for Public Safety, said “The systematic recording of prejudice motives in the case of deliberate crimes has been an integral part of ongoing police work since November 1, 2020. If there are indications, they are followed up, and the prejudice motives are systematically recorded. Clues for recognizing hate crime emerge from the comprehensive assessment of all the circumstances of the offense.”
He also explained that “The police work on the basis of a victim-centered approach: through listening as well as consistent investigation and prosecution. By systematically recording and analyzing comparable case patterns and clusters of criminal strategies, we can identify areas of conflict more quickly and more effectively.”
Results of the report
The 48-page report defines prejudice-motivated crimes or “hate crimes” as judicially criminal acts that are intentionally committed due to the actual or alleged belonging to a group that the perpetrator rejects.
The report reveals that from November 2020 to April 2021, the police recorded 1,936 prejudice-motivated crimes.
Since an offense can have several prejudice motives, the number of documented prejudice motives exceeds the total number of crimes. A total of 2,401 prejudice motives were documented in the same period.
The core results of the report show that the most common prejudice motives are national or ethnic origin, ideology, and religion.
Those affected often feel devalued, unwanted, persecuted, despised and lose their sense of security. Victims of hate crimes often suffer from long-term psychological consequences and try to be as invisible as possible and thus less vulnerable.
The perpetrator profile for "hate crime" is mostly young, male and with Austrian citizenship.
Prejudice-motivated crimes send an intimidating message that should be responded to. An important step is to report the crimes. In this way, victims can be granted the protection they are legally entitled to, and suspects can be brought to justice.
Johanna Eteme, Head of the Department of Fundamental and Human Rights Affairs at the Ministry of the Interior, said, “The new systematic recording of hate crime makes the phenomenon visible with valid data. Building on this, preventive measures can be taken in a targeted manner.”
Police student and top athlete Karim Mabrouk added, “I, too, have been and still am a victim of insults based on my origin and religion. I would like to share my experiences with my colleagues in the police force and, in cooperation with those affected, do educational work in order to be able to take preventive action against future prejudice crime.” Mabrouk is working on a future without hate crime under the motto “look instead of looking away.”
Support for victims
Victims of hate crimes can contact support facilities or advice centers, such as the victim emergency number, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Justice, operated by the Weisser Ring: 0800 112 112.
The police can also help direct victims to the best places for support.