Czech anti-hate crime NGO: 90 % of hate crimes never reported

In IUSTITIA, the only NGO in the Czech Republic to provide assistance to victims of violent hate crime, has celebrated its second anniversary by issuing the publication “Forgotten Victims: Violent hate crime and counseling for victims in the Czech Republic”. “During our two years of existence we have provided legal advice to more than 30 long-term clients who were attacked because of their skin color, ethnicity or nationality, religious affiliation, or sexual orientation,” says Klára Kalibová, who founded the organization.

The cases range from verbal assault to crimes resulting in death. “Most of the incidents leave a permanent mark on the victim’s psyche and that of those close to them. Hate crime cannot be anticipated and you can’t hide from it – you are attacked because of what you represent in the eyes of the assailant, because you are Jewish, lesbian or homeless,” Kalibová says.

Last year the organizations In IUSTITIA, ROMEA, Kulturbuero Sachsen and Tolerance and Civil Society (Tolerance a občanská společnost) researched NGOs working with persons who were potentially at risk of hate violence. The results of that research and other texts have now been released in the publication “Forgotten Victims: Violent hate crime and counseling for victims in the Czech Republic”. The research and publications were supported by the German foundation Erinnerung, Verantwortung und Zukunft.

“The victims of violent hate crime are truly forgotten. They are not a priority for the public administration, the media, or the NGOs themselves. As many as 90 % of hate crimes are never reported. Only one in 10 victims has the courage to turn to the police. Moreover, many crimes are never investigated with respect to the motivation of hatred, but are treated as ordinary crimes,” says Kalibová, whose article in the publication covers the state approach to the issue. The publication is available for download at www.in-ius.cz.

During the past two years, in addition to providing legal assistance to the victims of hate violence, In IUSTITIA has trained several dozen police officers; organized a two-day international conference on violent hate crime and victim assistance; issued several publications for the public administration, professionals and youth; and cooperated with important international ties. The organization is currently participating in designing the new law on crime victims.

An ongoing problem is the great under-financing of the ares in which In IUSTITIA provides services. “Assistance for hate crime victims, for the time being, is not a priority of the Czech state. I believe this will change,” Klára Kalibová says. Last year the organization’s activity was supported by the Foundation for Holocaust Victims (Nadační fond obětem holocaustu) and the Prague 1 town hall.