The number of hate-motivated crimes reported to Waterloo regional police in 2023 is on track to match or exceed last year's peak, and it's being driven by a spike in crimes targeting gender.
Hate-motivated crime is defined as a crime that includes hate motivation; someone spray painting graffiti of a swastika on private property, for instance.
A hate-motivated incident,on the other hand, is when a person demonstrates hateful behaviour toward someone else on the basis of their identity, without breaking any laws.
Use of a racial slur is an example of a hate-motivated incident.
Hate motivated crimes have increased every year in Waterloo region since 2019.
It peaked in 2022 when 190 cases of hate motivated crimes were reported.
So far this year there have been 173 documented cases of hate motivated crime.
The majority, 56 per cent, were not violent and 36.7 per cent were labelled mischief. Police received 2,170 calls about mischief this year, including graffiti.
The next most common hate crime was Level 1 assault at 12.4 per cent. Uttering threats represented 10.7 per cent of all hate crimes.
Other non-violent hate crimes represented 18.9 per cent of the breakdown and 21.3 per cent of the hate-motivated crimes were labelled other violent.
Race-related hate crimes were most likely to involve Black individuals, with about 23 incidents reported through Sept. 30, and most happened between April 1 and June 30.
About 13 incidents targeted white individuals, followed by just under 10 reported crimes against East and Southeast Asian, and South Asian individuals respectively.
There were no hate-motivated crimes reported to police on the basis of race in the third quarter of 2023.
Hate crimes on the basis of religion were most likely to target Jewish individuals.
Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 28 incidents were religion related compared to 23 in 2022.
Hate crimes targetting sexual orientation rose from 26 incidents reported last year to 31 reported so far this year. Homosexual individuals or the 2SLBTQ+ community in general were the most likely targetted in these crimes.
But the biggest spike in hate-motivated crimes this year has been on the basis of gender. There were only three instances reported in 2022, while 2023 has seen 14 instances as of Sept. 30.
Waterloo regional police say the trauma caused by hate motivated crime and incidents is widespread, impacting victims and their communities.
Police connect with those who are, or may be affected by the incident in order to provide supports through investigative updates, or through collaboration with Victim Services of Waterloo Region.
