Hate Crime and Hate Speech – find out what it is and react!

“Mediaskopas” research indicates that as much as 72% of hateful content in Lithuanian media is directed at national minorities – Roma, Poles, Russians and Jews. In 2022 alone, the European Foundation of Human Rights recorded 70 allegations of hate speech on the Internet. The ease of circulation of information and Internet content means that hate speech reaches a much larger number of recipients than before, causing irreparable damage.  Therefore, as an online community, we should not be indifferent while seeing such content, and our social media presence should involve social responsibility for other Internet users. So if you witness hate speech online or have personally been a victim of a hate crime, you can now safely and easily report it using the hate crime reporting platform manoteises.lt/pranesk/en.

WHAT IS A HATE CRIME?

A hate crime occurs when the person’s action is motivated by dislike, prejudice or hatred against a particular person or group of people based on age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, language, social status, faith, belief or worldview. A hate crime can also be committed against a person or group of people to whom the person has wrongly attributed a particular characteristic. For example, a woman wearing a headscarf may be attacked because of negative perceptions of Muslims, but is not necessarily Muslim herself. Hate crimes include behavior such as physical violence, assault, name-calling, as well as destruction of property, including vandalism and desecration of graves.

WHAT IS HATE SPEECH?

Hate speech is defined as negative “statements” directed at a specific person/group because of the characteristics they possess. The use of hate speech is aimed at arousing and disseminating hateful or discriminatory expressions, as well as inciting violence/hatred against specific persons, representatives of minorities or other entities targeted by the person using hate speech. It is most often expressed through the use of offensive, hateful statements and words, including various discriminatory symbols (signs and other objects) or the dissemination of information (letters, messages, comments, photos, GIFs, etc.) that denigrate, scorn, ridicule or incite violence against a person or group of people because of their membership in a particular group.

For example, some people post racist or homophobic comments on social media that violate the dignity of another person. To identify the entries as hate speech, their content must involve slander, contempt, bullying, discrimination and/or incitement to hatred or violence.

ARE HATE CRIMES SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL LIABILITY?

Hate crimes and hate speech are criminalized and subject to criminal liability.

HOW ARE HATE CRIMES DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CRIMES?

The damage caused by hate crimes involves not only physical or property damage, but also long-term non-material damage, i.e., moral damages. Such crimes violate the identity of individuals and their equality. They intimidate and humiliate not only the individual but entire communities.

HOW CAN I CONTRIBUTE TO PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF HATE CRIMES?

The most important thing we can do is not to remain indifferent to hurtful behavior and to support those who have been victims of hate crimes. More importantly, hateful acts should be reported to law enforcement or NGOs, documented and responded to when we witness them.

WHO CAN REPORT A HATE CRIME?

Any person with information about such a crime.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU NOTICE A HATE CRIME IN A PUBLIC PLACE HERE AND NOW?

A hate crime that targeted you or a hate crime that you personally witnessed can be shocking, but anyone who witnessed the behavior can help the victim.

• It is necessary to keep yourself and the victim safe, so it is important to stop the attack or crime. It is advisable to do this only if you feel safe. If not, you should seek help first. For example, if you notice someone being attacked by passersby in a public place and you want to scare the attackers away, you can start shouting or try other ways to get attention.
• Try to call the police at 112 for help as soon as possible. Determine if urgent medical attention is needed.
• If it is not an emergency involving an immediate threat to a person, you can report it in other ways, as described below.
• It is very important not to leave the victim alone. Ask in as calm a voice as possible: how he or she is feeling; be helpful in considering what steps can be taken next. Ask if the person will feel safe traveling home or elsewhere alone.
• If possible, write down all the details of the event and note other important points. And if you can, film or photograph the incident, the scene, the license plate number of the car if it was used, etc.
• Pay attention to other people who witnessed the event, write down the contacts of these people.

WHAT IS THE MANOTEISES.LT/PRANESK PLATFORM?

manoteises.lt/pranesk/en – a platform created by NGOs where people who have been victims or witnesses of hate crime/hate incitement can easily report hate crimes to NGOs or the police and get help.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF A NOTIFICATION IS SUBMITTED ON THE MANOTEISES.LT/PRANESK PLATFORM?

Depending on the option you selected on the form, the notification will be handed over to the police or the case will be redirected to other NGOs providing assistance.