UNITED network organisation RAA Saxony has launched a practical guide to hate crime victim support in Europe.
The 67 page book presents an overview of the problem of hate crime in Europe and the relevant European law, and outlines practical methods and best practices for reaching out to victims of hate crime and providing them with effective support.
The guide is the outcome of a project in which UNITED representatives played a key part, alongside other partner organisations including Amnesty International, Amadeu Antonio Stiftung and BAG K+R. Overall, RAA Saxony invited 23 independent civil society hate crime victim support organisations from 18 OSCE member states, along with several academics, to share their knowledge and expertise at two symposia in Berlin.
In a release statement, RAA Saxony state: “The short book, Hate Crime Victim Support in Europe – A Practical Guide, presents the knowledge gathered and provides useful practical case study illustrations of supporting hate crime victims. This comprehensive guide shares the deep experience and knowledge of hate crime victim support providers with a broader audience.”
In endorsing the book, Michael Privot, director of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), said: “No doubt this guide will be pioneering in making the voices of victims heard, and ensuring that they are properly cared for…the guide is comprehensive, written in an accessible language, and addresses both long-time practitioners and newcomers to the field. Although civil society organisations are its primary target audience, civil servants in the judiciary, judges, police officers, lawyers, and all those working on healing processes (medical doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counsellors) will also considerably benefit from the content and perspectives presented in this guide—its victim-centred approach in particular.”
The book is available for download from the RAA Saxony website (see below), or in paper form for a small shipping fee of 6 EUR by writing to support-standards@raa-sachsen.de .
Read a full press release about the launch of the guide on the RAA Saxony website.
Dowload the full publication here [pdf]