Counter-hate: Improving the assistance of victims of hate crimes through a victim-centred and intersectional approach

The Counter Hate project is implemented in Spain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, and Lithuania, coordinated by the University of Girona (Spain), and is funded by the Justice Programme of the European Union.

The project contributes to the assistance to victims of hate crimes, by guaranteeing that legislation and policies establish a victim-centred and intersectional approach. Its main priority is to contribute to the effective and coherent application of EU criminal law in the rights of victims of crime, especially the effective application of the Victims’ Directive. Through the adoption of a victim-centred and intersectional approach, the project shares the objectives of the Directive considering the special vulnerability of hate crimes’ victims and addresses the art. 1 (which guarantees the provision of appropriate information, support, and protection to victims), the art. 8 and art. 9 regarding the assistance services, and the art. 10, which guarantees the right of victim to be heard.

The main objectives of the project are:

1) to map legislations and policies regarding hate crimes and the assistance to victims;

2) to analyse the experiences of victims, policy makers and key professionals; to foster the exchange of best practices and the cooperation between stakeholders; to carry out a “training for trainers” module for security and justice practitioners; and

3) to raise awareness about the rights of victims of crime and available services.