Hate crimes on the rise in a tolerant city
Blacks were most targeted victims of race crimes while Jews were most frequent subject of 'religious' hatred, StatsCan reports
Vancouver Sun – June 15, 2010
By Douglas Todd

Metro Vancouver residents who pride themselves on their tolerance have to face the bad news that hate crimes have almost doubled in this diverse city.

Statistics Canada reported Monday that Metro Vancouver was the only major city in Canada that has seen a rise in all three categories of hate crimes – based on ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.

The news is particularly disturbing for blacks and Jews. Despite making up a tiny fraction of Metro Vancouver's population, the data suggests blacks were the most common victims of race crimes and Jews the most frequent subjects of "religious" hatred.

But Metro Vancouver gays and lesbians also have reason to feel anxious. In a report that comes after two downtown Vancouver men were beaten Saturday night by young assailants shouting homophobic insults, Statistics Canada says Metro Vancouver joins Quebec City in having "the highest proportions of hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation."

The StatsCan report compares changes in police-reported hate crimes between 2008 and 2007. These independently verified hate crimes jumped 35 per cent in 2008 across the country, to a national total of 1,036. In Metro Vancouver, they leaped a startling 81 per cent, for a total of 143.

Even though StatsCan reminds us that "reported" hate crimes don't always correspond with the actual rate of such crimes, the trend line reminds us a small, self-righteous and angry fraction of the population continues to scapegoat people based solely on their ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

For good or ill, those Canadians who engage in hate crimes are mostly young. Across Canada, six in 10 people accused of hate crimes were between 12 and 22 years, which fortunately suggests that blind bigotry eases with the passing of the years.

Two figures in the StatsCan data for Metro's stand out as shocking.

Even though blacks make up only one per cent of Metro's population, far less than other visible minorities, the city's blacks are, proportionally, by far the biggest victims of hate crimes.

There were 16 reported hate crimes against Metro blacks in 2008, compared to 11 against East and Southeast Asians, 11 against South Asians and two against whites.

Even though blacks were also victims of the most reported hate crimes on a national basis, that can in part be statistically explained by the existence of large black populations in cities such as Toronto and Montreal.

However, it's even more alarming when the data shows blacks are most often assaulted, threatened or robbed because of their race in Metro Vancouver, where their numbers are minuscule.

Jews also make up only one per cent of Metro residents, but were far more likely than members of other religions to report a hate crime.

Twenty-eight Jews were subjected to hate crimes in the city in 2008 (up from nine in 2007). That compared to three reported crimes against Catholics, one against Muslims and eight against "other religions."

The hate crimes involving Jews were not as severe as those involving blacks. Unlike with blacks, none of the crimes against Jews included assault. Two thirds of hate crimes against Jews were described as "mischief," usually vandalism.

While hate crimes can justifiably send shock waves through communities, it is wise to avoid sensationalizing these new statistics.

Although reported hate crimes rose, sociologists say such reporting goes up when members of a community feel more trusting police will take their complaints seriously. In addition, Vancouver's hate-crimes ratio is only marginally harsher than that of Toronto or Ottawa. The odds against being a victim of hate in Metro Vancouver continues to be a relatively healthy one in 16,000. The vast majority of city residents continue to practise the tolerance they preach.