The Challenge of Hate Crime in South Africa

Comparative Study

Ø US: Hate Crimes legislation exists federally, and in
certain States. Monitoring is done by the FBI.

Ø UK: Crime category for reporting prejudice-
motivated crime. Evidence hereof is used for
enhanced sentencing. Cognisance is taken of
patterns and particular distress caused to groups

Ø Africa: No recognition of hate crimes.

HCWG Recommendations

Ø Publicly condemn all threats or outbreaks of xenophobic violence

Ø Data collection: Strengthen the ability to detect and respond to
threats or outbreaks of xenophobic violence

Ø Strengthen access to justice for victims of xenophobic violence

Ø HCWG recommends both introducing a new category of offences
for hate crimes as well as making use of existing provisions for
enhanced sentencing by adopting Hate Crimes legislation

Ø Improve accountability of government employees who make
threats or deny access to services based on xenophobia

A National Plan to Address
Hate Crimes against LGBTI
People in SA

Presented by:
Dawie Nel - OUT

22 August 2013

Outline of presentation

¡  Background of OUT. Our primary focus

¡  Context on hate crimes against LGBTI people.
Research findings

¡  Recent Government initiatives. The Department
of Justice Task Team to address violence on the
basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

¡  The Hate Crimes Working Group and a LGBTI civil
society programme, as from 1 October 2013

OUT

¡  Started in 1994, 20 years old

¡  Provides direct health services (including a clinic)
and HIV prevention work, train mainstream health
workers, conduct collaborative research

¡  Have various representation roles. Serve on the
National Department of Health’s Key Population
Advisory Board, hosts the LGBTI Secretariat of the
SA National AIDS Council, participate in the Hate
Crime Working Group, play an active role within
the Department of Justice Technical Task Team
Addressing violence against LGBTI people

Cont

¡  Many successes. Led on the same sex marriage
campaign in 2006, started the first clinic in Gauteng
in 2007, train close to 1000 health workers p.a, have
led the first quantitative research on the experiences
of SA LGBTI people in 2003

¡  OUT believes in collaboration and initiated processes
to what became the Joint Working Group in 2002,
work with various NGO’s to develop operational
plans to achieve Government HIV/AIDS targets

¡  Have recently developed its hate crime work.
Include direct client support through court cases and
ensuring action in the murder of 9 gay men in
Gauteng



Cont

¡  Study conducted in 2004 in Gauteng with 487
respondents

¡  Sexual abuse is almost twice as high for black males
than for white males

¡  Expect for domestic violence, victimisation is
experienced in similar rates for males and females.
For example, 9.7 % of black females and 9.4% of
black males have experienced sexual abuse/rape.
Interesting to keep in mind with ‘curative rape’
discourses that black males are also vulnerable

¡  Need to repeat the study as it is 10 years old and to
monitor patterns



The Hate Crimes Working Group

¡  Multi-sector network of civil society structures to
address hate crimes. Not only LGBTI, but also
migrants, refugees, religious and others

¡  Activities include media and speaking in the
press, Government engagement especially
possible public engagement around Hate Crime
Legislation, co-ordination of member activities,
and research

¡  The HCWG have produced a monitoring form
which aims to standardise reporting in the Sector.
In the planned LGBTI civil society programme,
this form will be used

A National Programme

¡  There has been exciting recent developments regarding
progress with the Department of Justice Task Team on
sexual orientation and gender identity based violence
against LGBTI people in 2011. Immediate priorities are fast
tracking court cases, communication campaign, training
materials.

¡  In 2012, LGBTI community groups decided on a
collaborative programme. OUT, Gay and Lesbian Archives
(GALA), Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW),
Dbn Gay and Lesbian Centre, Pmb Gay and Lesbian
Network and Triangle Project

.

Cont

¡  Civil society weak also because of funding cut-backs

¡  5 year programme as from 1 October 13. operationalising
for year 1, start October 13

¡  In 3 provinces, case management to 30 clients p.a.
Includes medical. legal and psychosocial. Standardise
reporting

¡  Monthly community outreach through posters/SMS/social
media. Around themes and available services

¡  Integration of issues within Thutuzela Care Centres. It
includes MOU’s, training and technical advice

¡  On-going representation within the DOJ TT

Developing & Piloting
a Multi-sectoral

Hate & Bias Crime
Monitoring Form in

South Africa

Presented by:
Ms Hanlie v Wyk (Independent researcher) & Prof Juan A. Nel,

(Department of Psychology, UNISA)
Funded by Open Society Foundation (OSF) and Humanistic

Institute for the Development of the South (HIVOS)
Supported by University of South Africa (UNISA)





Research Aims and
Objectives

Phased approach

Content validation of the draft
Hate & Bias Crime Monitoring
Form

Developing improved long
term monitoring of cases of
hate crimes

Improving the judicial
response to hate crimes

Training and advocacy





Structure of the Form

¡  Section 1: Biographical details of the victim – Who is the victim?

¡  Section 2: Current incident details – How the victim perceived the current
incident and the impact thereof.

¡  Section 3: The profile of the alleged offender(s) - Who is the alleged
offender?

¡  Section 4: Secondary victimisation? How do the police and criminal justice
system treat victims of hate crime?

¡  Section 5: Secondary victimisation? Access to healthcare and support.

¡  Section 6: Has the victim experienced other hate crime(s)-related
incident(s)? If so, where, when and details.

Source of information

16% Case Files
53% Face-to-face
interviews
23% Third party/
Service provides
7% Media
2% Combination

Demographics: Victim

¡  Average Age: 31 ¡  Religion:
¡  61%Christian; 23%Muslim;
¡  Race: 76% Black 16% Other

¡  Sex: ¡  Education:
¡  52% Female; 47% Male; 1% ¡  58% Secondary School;
Intersex remainder all < 10%

¡  Gender: ¡  Employment Status:
¡  48% Female; 45% male; 7 % ¡  35% unemployed; 24% paid
Transgender employee

¡  Sexual Orientation: ¡  Area:
¡  68% Hetero; 29% gay/ ¡  Township 38%; suburb & inner
lesbian; 2% bisexual city

¡  Dwelling : Formal 71%

Offender characteristics

¡  Average age: ¡  Offender: Victim
¡  38.2% = 27-37 yrs ¡  3:1
¡  28% = 16-26 yrs ¡  Notable gender
¡  25% = 38-47 yrs differences (see below)

¡  68% not known to the victim NOTE:
Differences per sector
¡  56% known to the victim

¡  47% law enforcement
officials

¡  34% from person’s
community

Incident ¡  Related to:
¡  Nationality
¡  Time: 49% 18h00-23h59 ¡  Sexual orientation
¡  Gender expression
¡  Impact: 59% physical; 43% ¡  Race
economic ¡  Other

¡  Victims involved: victim ¡  Support:
only; with other ¡  CSO/NGO
¡  Friends
¡  Type of incident: ¡  Family
¡  Verbal abuse
¡  Physical violence
¡  Robbery
¡  Wounded using a weapon
¡  Threat of violence

Police & Justice

¡  Typical Response: ¡  Reporting to other:

¡  Dismissive/disinterested ¡  NGO/CSO
¡  Refused to assist ¡  Other
¡  Helpful/Supportive
¡  Other choices: ¡  Friends & family

¡  Factual/neutral
¡  Hostile/violent
¡  Disbelieving

Medical & Healthcare

¡  Typical Response: ¡  Comments:

¡  Helpful/supportive ¡  Secondary victimisation
¡  Hostile/insulting/violent★ ¡  Underreporting
¡  Dismissive/disinterested ¡  Wilful neglect?
¡  Refused to assist

Summary of General
Findings

¡  No or little documentation in NGO sector

¡  Intake form
¡  Ease of form

¡  Interest in hate crimes in all provinces

¡  Some advocacy efforts
¡  Real knowledge, expertise & thorough documentation severely

lacking across all sectors

¡  Need for conceptual clarity & awareness raising

¡  Hate crime (criminal), hate incidents (civil) and secondary
victimisation

¡  Criminal Justice System vs psychosocial approach

¡  Early findings point to feasibility of one form across all sectors



Elie Weisel

‘I swore never to be
silent whenever
human beings endure
suffering and
humiliation. We must
always take sides.
Neutrality helps the
oppressor, never the
victim. Silence
encourages the
tormentor, never the
tormented.’

CURRENT INITIATIVES IN
RESPONSE TO HATE CRIME

¡  Integrated Victim Empowerment Policy Guidelines
¡  2009: includes all hate victims as priority group, in particular LGBT and
foreign nationals
¡  Tsholo Moloi ([email protected]) / Athalia Shabangu
([email protected])

¡  Proposed Hate Crimes Bill/ Policy framework
¡  2013: Seems to ‘connect the dots’ and speak to a range of vulnerabilities
¡  Theresa Ross ([email protected]) / Ooshara Sewpaul
([email protected])

¡  National Task Team on Sexual orientation- and Gender-based violence
against LGBTI persons & other LGBTI court related issues
¡  July 2011: with obvious emphasis…
¡  Ooshara Sewpaul ([email protected]) / Siphiwe Ntombela
([email protected]) / Dr Ingrid Lynch
([email protected])

¡  Hate Crimes Working Group
¡  2009/13: multi-sectoral emphasis
¡  Yolanda Mitchell ([email protected] )/ Iole Matthews
([email protected]) / Juan Nel ([email protected])

Thank you

CONTACT DETAILS:

Prof. Juan Nel Cell: +27(0)83 282 0791
or [email protected]

Hanlie van Wyk Cell: +27(0)82 4578317 or
[email protected]

Dawie Nel Cell: +27 0)83 3792488 or
[email protected]

Marilize Ackerman Cell:+27(0)84 6202356 or
[email protected]

www.hcwg.ipt.co.za