Nearly half of East and Southeast Asian people in the UK have experienced a hate crime in the past year, a devastating study has found.
Despite experiencing hatred on a sickening scale, just 10% of victims report crimes to police due to lack of faith in authorities, charity Protection Approaches found. A report published today found 430,000 members of the East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) community - around 45% - had experienced hate crime in the last 12 months.
And more than half experienced more than one instance, meaning close to one million cases. The charity's report, published in collaboration with the University of Leicester’s Centre for Hate Studies, found a 70% rise in ESEA people being targeted during the Covid crisis.
Labour MP Sarah Owen said: “The absence of a strategy on hate crime has left policymakers ill-equipped to address the new challenges facing Britain in 2024, with communities paying the price. If we are to ensure our ESEA communities thrive, we must listen to their needs.
"This report should serve as a call to action for people, politicians, and policymakers alike.”
The study found just one in 10 subjected to hate crime in the past year reported it to police - with 63% saying they felt it wouldn’t be taken seriously.
Andy Fearn, Co-Executive Director, Protection Approaches commented: “The findings of this research are a call to action for both the Government and funding bodies. The rise in hate crime faced by ESEA communities during COVID-19 was not just a passing trend but a significant societal issue that demands immediate and comprehensive intervention.
"It is imperative that the Government expedites the publication of a new national Hate Crime Strategy. This strategy should be developed in close collaboration with community organisations, as well as those dedicated to supporting hate crime victims and implementing prevention programs.”
Researchers found three quarters (75%) of hate crimes toward ESEA people were carried out by men, including 73% of cases targeting women. And more than 40% were carried out by more than one person.
More than half of those responsible are thought to be under 30. The charity said: "This shows that hostility and prejudice towards ESEA communities in the UK is not an issue of the past or confined exclusively to older generations."
More than seven in 10 victims said their experience had left them feeling anxious, while 61% were made to feel vulnerable and 4% felt suicidal.
The Government has been urged to publish a new national Hate Crime Strategy and support independent reporting and reporting services. Ministers are also urged to commission public awareness campaigns to stamp out hate crime.