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After the canton of Friborg, the city of Zurich now also has statistics on hate crimes. Also as a signal to the victims.
Hate crimes – in German hate crimes – are directed against foreigners, against homosexuals or people with non-binary gender identities – precisely because they are foreigners or homosexual. How many such acts there are in Switzerland is not known. Because they are not recorded nationwide in Switzerland. Since this year, however, the Zurich city police have had corresponding statistics – and the canton of Friborg has had one for two years.
The Freiburg canton police recorded almost 60 cases of discrimination per year in the statistics in the first two years. “The majority of it is racial discrimination and discrimination based on gender identity. This includes harassment, insults, threats and, in a few cases, assault, ”as media spokesman Bernard Vonlanthen says.
Make the problem visible
The Freiburg police assume that the reported cases are only the tip of the iceberg and that the number of unreported cases could be significantly higher. Still, it is important to have these numbers, says Vonlanthen – and not just because of the statistics.
On the one hand, we want to prevent further harassment and discrimination, said Vonlanthen. “On the other hand, based on surveys, we want to use the necessary resources where and when they are needed.”
Domestic violence used to be off the radar. You had to raise awareness among the population and make it clear to people that they would have to report if they were affected. It’s the same with the hate crimes.
It sounds similar with the Zurich City Police, which has been recording discrimination in its own statistics since this year. She has registered 65 cases so far, most of them in the city center and on weekend nights when many people go out in the city.
Classifying this number is difficult after only one year, says police spokeswoman Judith Hödl. But anyway, it’s not about a number, but about making a problem visible. “Domestic violence used to be a topic that wasn’t on the radar. You had to raise awareness among the population and make it clear to people that they would have to report if they were affected. It’s the same with the hate crimes. “
The administrative effort for recording such statistics is practically negligible, Hödl continues. That’s why it’s definitely worth it. This is also the opinion of Alexandre Korkia from the Freiburg association Sarigai, which campaigns for the rights of people with the most varied of gender identities.
Important signal from the police
The statistics do not show the full extent of the discrimination that exists. And some people would not dare to file a complaint. “You often still have to nudge the victims a little so that they even go to the police and report it.” But that’s exactly why it is important that the statistics exist, says Korkia. Because that’s how those affected would see that they are not alone.
And the police send out a signal with such statistics: “The police are there for you – and there is a law that protects you from discrimination!” Around two years ago, the Swiss electorate said yes to a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Legend:
The Pink Cross gay umbrella organization hopes that other cantons and cities will follow the example of Friborg and Zurich. And that hate crimes will soon be recorded across the whole of Switzerland.
Keystone
The vote was important, says Roman Heggli from the gay umbrella organization Pink Cross: “With the anti-discrimination criminal norm, we as gays, lesbians and bisexuals are protected from discrimination for the first time. It was a symbolically important sign that Switzerland spoke out clearly against discrimination. ”