Madrid (EFE).- Last year, 1,869 hate crimes were reported in Spain, 3.72 percent more than in 2021, an increase that rose to almost 77 percent in the case of discrimination based on sex, although the complaints for racism and xenophobia were the most numerous, with 755, that is, four out of ten.
These are data from the report on the evolution of hate crimes in Spain in the past year and which was presented this Wednesday by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, at the meeting of the second Monitoring Commission of the II Action Plan to Fight against Hate Crimes 2022-2024.
With the data provided to the Crime Statistical System by the National Police, Civil Guard, Ertzaintza, Mossos d’Esquadra, Navarra Foral Police and local police, the National Hate Crimes Office has prepared a report that concludes that the security forces clarified 63 percent of the reported facts and detained or investigated 838 people.
One in four hate crimes is due to racism or xenophobia
Hate crimes due to racism and xenophobia, with 755 known facts, were the most numerous and represent 43.5 percent of the total complaints, that is, one in four.
In second place were crimes against sexual orientation and gender identity (459 facts), ahead of those of ideology (245).
Hate crimes due to discrimination based on sex and gender were the ones that increased the most compared to a year earlier, specifically 76.6 percent; followed by those of aporophobia (70%) and those of antisemitism (18.2%).
On the contrary, crimes due to generational discrimination (-57.1%, due to illness (-47.6%), religious beliefs or practices (-25.4%) and ideology (-24.8%) decreased significantly. %).
Injuries and threats, the criminal types with the most complaints
Regarding the criminal typology of these crimes, injuries head the list, with 423 out of the total reported; ahead of threats (338), injuries (116) and damages (106).
By autonomous communities, the Basque Country concentrates the highest number of complaints (407), ahead of Catalonia (253), Madrid (237) and Andalusia (207).
And if the months with the highest number of hate crimes and incidents are taken into account, August is in first place with 207, followed by October (199) and May (190).
Regarding the place, the report indicates that where the commission of these behaviors has occurred most frequently are the communication routes (668). They are followed by facilities, homes and annexes, establishments, open spaces, means of transport and venues.
Victim profile: Spanish, male, between 26 and 40 years of age
The profile of the victim of these crimes is a man (59.4% of the total), Spanish (60.9%) and between 26 and 40 years old (31.3%).
Meanwhile, minors constitute 12.1 percent of the total victimizations.
The report highlights the rise in victims in the age group between 18 and 25 years, which goes from representing 17.34% of the total to 22.11.
Within the set of victims of foreign nationality, those from Morocco registered the highest number (9.9%), ahead of Colombia (3.3%) and Senegal (2.1%).
Marlaska: a frontal and direct attack on dignity
During his speech, Marlaska recalled that hate crimes constitute “a frontal and direct attack” on the principles of freedom and the dignity of people
“Acting against hate crimes helps to improve the coexistence of a multicultural society, made up of different people and, as a direct consequence, helps us to live in a better society”, he pointed out.
Marlaska has also indicated that reparation should not be understood from a solely material point of view. “We must think about moral compensation, which may be even more important for the victim, for having attacked their own dignity, their freedom or free development under equal conditions and opportunities,” she concluded.