Hate crime victim support requires that victims can access the services they need to fully
recover from a hate crime, understand and participate in criminal justice processes and
regain their agency. Yet in most countries, the structural arrangements required for an
effective and comprehensive hate crime victim support system are not in place or need
strengthening. These structural arrangements include the laws, polices, procedures,
guidance and funding that underpin effective and sustainable services.
Evidence from across the OSCE region reveals profound gaps in the structural arrangements
for hate crime victim support. Domestic legal and policy frameworks are, in many
cases, underdeveloped or non-existent. This results in limited availability of services or services
that vary in quality, scope, accessibility and many other factors within national jurisdictions.
While there is no single model for establishing and strengthening the structural arrangements
necessary for effective hate crime victim support services, they should be built
around specialist services specifically designed to respond to the needs of hate crime
victims.
Furthermore, a comprehensive
government response should also fully engage CSOs as partners in providing support for
victims, and ensures that information on available services that meet quality standards
is accessible to all, so that an effective referrals system can be triggered to meet the
needs hate crime victims.
Download: Structural Arrangements for Hate Crime Victim Support: Policy Brief
