Hate Crime definitions to be extended
Lord Bracadale has published his independent review of hate crime legislation.
The report makes significant recommendations including that:
- intersex should be made a separate characteristic from transgender identity
- The definition of hate crime due to association with someone who has a protected characteristic should be extended to all characteristics, not only race or religion as it is presently
- New hate crime laws based on age and gender
- Consideration should be given to a new provision that would allow the courts to recognise offences that involve the exploitation of vulnerable people.
- It should be an offence to stir up hatred in relation to groups based on each of the protected characteristics.
The report also stated that no new online hate crime laws were needed, nor a new iteration of legislation about offensive behaviour at football matches.
You can read the full report here: http://www.gov.scot/About/Review/Hate-Crime-Legislation
Women’s rights organisations have called for a much stronger legal protection against mysoginistic hate crime.
Engender states:
‘The question of how to tackle misogynistic online abuse, sexual harassment in public spaces, and incitement to misogyny is one being raised worldwide. Women and girls face epidemic levels of misogynistic hate in schools, in the workplace, on city streets, and online. In response to the recommendations in the final report by Lord Bracadale’s Independent Review, we continue to call for a standalone misogynistic hate crime in Scotland as a way of disrupting this epidemic.
You can read Engender’s briefing in response to the Review report here: https://www.engender.org.uk/content/publications/Engender-Parliamentary-Briefing—Response-to-Final-Report-of-Independent-Review-of-Hate-Crime-Legislation.pdf
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