Know the Difference
Here are a few terms to review before learning about what racist incidents and hate crimes are:
Refers to attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes in an individual’s subconscious that influence understanding, actions, and behaviours when interacting with others.
Stereotypes are generalizations or assumptions imposed on a group of people, community, nation etc., based on very little information and experience.
Racial microaggressions are verbal comments or behaviours towards Indigenous and racialized people based on a stereotype or assumption.
Racist Incidents and Hate Crimes
What is the difference between a racist incident and a hate crime? It is important to be able to identify different forms of racist acts and the severity of their impacts.
Racist Incident
Any incident that the victim or any other person perceives to be racist. The incident may involve targeting a person based on their skin colour or their ethnic, cultural, or religious identity.
Hate Crime
A targeted action committed against a person, group, or property that is motivated by hate, bias, or prejudice. A person or group is targeted because of their race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
Hate crimes are criminal offences and include vandalism, assault, and physical aggression against an individual, group of people, or community. Hate crimes may be physical and violent in nature. Vandalizing a mosque or synagogue is an example of a racial hate crime. However, not all racist actions fall under the definition of a hate crime or are considered hate incidents.
Hate crimes are often racially motivated and the action taken is meant to dehumanize, humiliate, and degrade the targeted individual or group. It is important to note that hate crimes are also sometimes motivated by other types of hate and discrimination (for example, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age).
Both hate crimes and racist incidents have significant impacts and can lead to criminal charges.
For more information visit the Resources page.
