Hate Crime
Student
Institution
Course
Instructor
Date 2
Hate crime in the UK is on the rise. Actually, according to Gov.UK (2020 p.1), hate rime
in the UK ha increased by 8% in the year 2020 with up to 105090 hate crimes recorded by the
police compared to 2019. A hate crime is any crime directed on someone or a group of people
just because the perpetrator is motivated by to direct hostility towards their gender, race, religion,
disabilities, beliefs and sexual orientation or transgender identity. Primarily, hate crimes can
range from, verbal abuse, criminal damage, manslaughter, offensive calls, texts, mails, social
media comments, harassment and bullying. It has become so serous that members of marginalize
groups can no longer feel safe in their own country. Arguably the basic of all hate crimes is the
various types of discrimination, until we can deal with it eradicating hate crimes from our society
will remain a pipe dream. The Asian community is especially at risk, actually since the first
corona virus lockdown last year, hate crimes targeted on Asians have increased by 300 %
(Aljazeera, 2021 p.1 ). With the increase in use of social media not only hate crimes performed
on the various social media platforms has increased but also hate crime as well. The fact that
social media do so little to control the massive amounts of crimes tacking place in their platforms
further worsens the situation. Today criminals are able to abuse members of various
marginalized groups online almost unchecked. Also, online platforms have offered various hate
crime perpetrators to more easily spread their misinformed ideologies while giving their crimes
free publicity further increasing hate crimes. Although efforts from the police service by easing
reporting of hate crimes and increasing their understanding of this crimes has bettered our chance
at dealing with hate crimes, various factors have meant that hate crimes have increased anyway.
Hate crimes in recent years have come to engulf every aspect of our lives and will continue to
Hate crimes have been around for a very long time arguably as old as civilization itself.
However, in recent years, various factors have led to a large increase. Social media use has
become more prevalent in society now more than ever. Unfortunately, so has hate crime on
social media. Hate crime in social media comes in many forms including; cyber bullying, threats,
online racial abuse and hate speech. Also, the increased audience one can get on social media has
meant hate crime perpetrators can share and encourage others to join them in discriminating and
terrorizing them. Developments in media have also been responsible for catalyzing various hate
crimes. Also, criminals sometimes use social media as a platform and media coverage as a way
to advertise their crimes; various criminals have even livestreamed their crimes on popular social
media platforms like Facebook with thousands of viewers tuning in with others sharing their
manifestos online. Also, with so many international news agencies, those perpetrating such
events as mass murder have a guarantee of worldwide coverage of their crimes enticing some to
perform the various crimes. However, the UKs government reaction to this rise in online hate
crimes even though not perfect or on time brings some hope to controlling this new form of
crime. Today, it is possible for someone to be jailed for up to two years (Williams & Pearson,
2016 p.2). Moreover, non- crime hate speech online can now be shared by employer’s doe to the
recent change in article ten. However, the hands of the government remained tied with most of
the responsibility to end hate crimes social media falls on the various social media companies.
With the current development in machine learning and AI, it is within reach to remove all forms
of hate crimes on social media. Until then social media with all its benefits will continue to come
with many disadvantages to those who are affected by online hate crime.
Hate crime against Asians in the UK s on the rise. Actually, hate crimes reported to the
police have been consistently rising for the past decade. Primarily most hate crime in the UK is 4
racial with about 56% of all reported cases being racial (Gov.UK, 2020).
As the news claiming that the Corona virus, a pandemic that has turned many people’s lives
upside down reached the world, people reacted by vandalizing various takeaway restaurants and
many completely boycotting China town altogether (Angela, 2020, p 648). In extreme cases,
random people of Asian ancestry have been attacked going by their day to day lives. The hate
crimes on Asians today per a close resemblance to that directed to Muslims for a better part of
the 21st century after events like 9/11(Aljazeera, 2021, p.1). Misleading comments from various
influential personnel like Donald trump of the Corona virus being a “China virus” further
increased the worlds hatred of Asians. Sarah Owen, a Labour Party MP has come forward
explaining how two MPs referred to Asians as “those evil b******s.” (Aljazeera, 2021 p.1).
Various horrific events have since the occurred like the fatal shooting of eight people in Atlanta
consisting of six Asian women just goes on to show the amount of hatred many have for people 5
of Asian descent. Such events have meant that many with an Asians ancestry in our nation today
no longer safe. It is incredible how fast a worldwide anti-Asian racism has increased considering
how before the corona virus pandemic those with an Asian descent were treated as well as any
other people by the British public. On social media platforms, the abuse Asians face is worse
than ever. Asians are being cyberbullied online at an alarming rate; it would be safe to argue that
at least each person with an Asian ancestry in the UK who uses social media on a regular bases
as at least faced some sought of online abuse. To add to problem is that most existing human
rights movements have turned a blind eye on this issue leaving Asians in the UK with no one to
turn to. The government should put up measures to protects Asians within its jurisdiction with
human rights movement and the general public joining in to solve this problem once and for all.
It is saddening to see these much hate crimes directed at Asians for a Pandemic that has affected
Various laws already exist to tackle various hate crimes in the UK. These laws help a lot
in ensuring that those who perpetrate any of these crimes face justice and warn others from
committing them. Hate crime laws have today been devolved between the Northern Ireland
Assembly, Scottish Parliament, Welsh assembly with Westminster in control of most legislature
in England and various aspects in wales(Amnesty International UK, 2021 p.6). For example,
today, the police can be able to charge someone on social media hate crimes for which they can
get up to 2 years in prison. Furthermore, non-crime hate speech or online bullying can also be
legally presented to employers. these changes have been crucial with dealing with hate crimes on
social media. Other forms of hate crimes have reserved a few legislature changes such as the
public order act, Hate Crime ad Public Order (Scottland) bill. However most still create a lot of
controversy with some feeling the laws do not do enough and others saying the laws go to far. 6
However, to stop the ever-increasing hate crimes, some changes to the law need to take place.
The government has been taking suggestions on how to better its laws on hate crime but so far
not much change has been enacted. Using the law remains the best way to reduce crime and I
Undoubtedly, hate crime has had many impacts on various people some of which will
continue to be felt for years to come. Hate crimes generally do not affect many majority groups
but to the minority groups being targeted by the various hate crimes, its effects can be
devastating, sometimes fetal. First, most hate crimes can have a very negative effect on ones
psychology, for example; cyber bullying, racial abuse and offensive messages, texts, email and
calls can have a very on ones psychology with some leading to stress and anxiety. Secondly, hate
crimes have resulted in many losing their lives or being badly injured. The various anti-Asian
hate crimes for examples have left many innocent people injured, others killed just because they
are of Asian ancestry. Moreover, hate crimes have led to a spread in fear and hysteria in amongst
the various marginalized groups that have to be on a constant look out for such events( Paterson,
Brown & Walters, 2019 p.4). Hate crimes have had a very big impact on our society which will
The current rise in hate crimes has unsurprisingly prompted some response. In controlling
hate crime, we will need to first eradicate the bias and intolerance that fuel it. Preventing hate
crime will undoubtedly be hard but we require it to ensure the safety of every one in society.
First, talking to people especially the younger members of the community to better deal with
views of hatred and to more easily differentiate the various myths that are the basis of most
discrimination. Also, we should equip teachers to hold debates and talks with pupils on difficult
topics such as hate crime to so that we can try and battle hatred and prejudice at an early age. We 7
should empower various organizations working to help hate crime victims so that they can
perform their role more efficiently. Organizations like Stop Hate UK, UK Safer Internet Centre
and Equality Commission Northern Ireland have helped many and can be able to help many
more with our help. In addition to that everyone especially influential people in the country
should carefully consider the message we portray to ensure it does not in any way promote hate.
Moreover, we should make sure all hate crimes are punished, especially those on social media
that have mostly gone unpunished. Finally, we should all pressure social media companies
improve their platforms so that no hate crimes or messages encouraging hate crimes on their
platforms. The reaction so far has not been enough, it should thus be everyone’s target to pose a
Hate crime has been consistently rising for the past few years. The crimes like
manslaughter, murder, racial abuse, harassment, bullying and cyber bullying have been targeted
on various minorities in the nation. Primarily, hate crime perpetrators have targeted people
according to their race, religion, beliefs and gender amongst others. It is so sad that even today,
people will stereotype, and unfairly hate a group of people readily being aggressive towards any
member of that group. Racially and religiously hate crimes remain the most common today.
Since the outbreak and global spread on the Corona virus, a significant spike of anti-Asian hate
crimes has been observed not only in the UK but also worldwide. Unfortunately, this hate
targeted on those with an Asia descent has become so bad that that we have seen even mass
murders targeting Asians take place with many more attacks happening to them to. Also, hate
crimes on social media has been on the rise due to the sense of invincibility social media users
feel making them target marginalized groupson social media without fear. The existing laws
have been extreamely ineffective with amy changes needing to be made to better equip our laws 8
in dealing with various forms of hate crimes. To the various victims of hate crimes and members
of marginalized groups, the effects of hate crimes have been many and long lasting. The task to
end hate crimes in this country does not only fall on the government but each and every one of us
References
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/23/i-dont-feel-safe-asians-in-the-uk-reflect-on-a-year-
of-hatred
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2019-to-2020/hate-
crime-england-and-wales-2019-to-2020
Gover, A.R., Harper, S.B. & Langton, L. (2020). Anti-Asian Hate Crime During the
pp.647–667 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09545-1
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/files/Against-Hate-Briefing-2.pdf
Paterson, J.L., Brown, R. and Walters, M.A., 2019. The short- and longer-term impacts of hate crimes
experienced directly, indirectly, and through the media. Personality and social psychology bulletin, 45(7),
pp.994-1010 9
