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Increasing hate crime: The situation in Austria is so alarming!
In 2024, almost 7,000 hate crimes were registered in Austria, an increase of 20% compared to 2023. Analyzes show frequent prejudices based on ideology and national origin.
Increasing hate crime: The situation in Austria is so alarming!
In 2024, Austria experienced an alarming increase in bias-motivated crimes, also known as hate crimes. A total of 6,786 such offenses were registered, which corresponds to an increase of around 20% compared to the 5,668 cases of the previous year. This reports oe24. Nevertheless, the clearance rate remains constant at around 67%, which indicates the efficiency of the investigation.
Ideology was the most common motive, with 3,935 cases recorded, an increase of 45%. After 2023 already showed a decline in reported prejudice-motivated crimes to 5,668, a large number of motives and a large number of suspects were still recorded. Fortunately, the general clearance rate remains at 68.7%, which is almost identical to the previous year, they said OTS.
Diversity of prejudice motives
The data collected shows that prejudice motives are documented in a total of 7,614. The second most common motive was national or ethnic origin, reported in 1,581 cases, followed by religious motives in 763, skin color in 417 and sexual orientation in 317, a significant decrease of 29% compared to 2023. The suspects also showed demographic diversity, as 86% of the suspects were men, while a high proportion (26%) were foreign citizens, particularly in the area of hate crimes.
A quarter of all hate crimes took place on the Internet, with three quarters of these crimes being violations of the Prohibition Act. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner urgently points out the online hate crimes and warns of the possible escalation of the hate speech into real violence.
Consequences and preventive measures
The psychological and social consequences of hate crime are far-reaching. Those affected often report fear, shame and a loss of self-confidence. These crimes are not only directed against individuals but also against the entire group, leading to a general feeling of insecurity in society, the analysis adds BMJ.
In order to counteract the increase in hate crime, nationwide training measures for the police have begun in 2020, which aim to recognize and record prejudice motives. These preventive approaches are intended not only to reduce the number of unreported cases, but also to create a feeling of security for the affected groups. Raids against networks that specifically target homosexuals highlight the seriousness of the situation and the need for targeted action.
The increase and scale of hate crimes in Austria illustrate the challenges that still need to be overcome in order to promote a tolerant and respectful society.