Gender Based Hat Crimes

Women are the predominant victims in this historical problem that has existed for a long time. In the US gender crimes were first categorized as hate crimes by the 1998 act on hate crimes prevention. This federal act on Hate crimes statistics does not however collect data on heterosexual gender crimes. It only collects for homosexual and lesbians attacks. A survey found that out of 1000 women in the US, 7.2 are victims of rape every year (CRS, 1997). Dr.Lisa Goodman, a Psychology Professor at the University of Maryland testified in a Congressional hearing where she reported that research collected over two decades, indicates that over two million women in the US alone may be victims of aggravated assaults by their male partners every year. Increased violence on women leads to prolonged psychological suffering which is translated to other many areas of their physical and social lives. The most prevalent perpetrators are normally current or former male partners who assault them randomly. Victims exposed to threats and sexual assaults live in suspended periods of trauma, terror and isolation. The effects identified in psychology include withdrawal, posttraumatic stress disorder, low self-esteem and others. The woman is also affected psycho physiologically and there are normally prolonged complains such as severe headaches, insomnia and gastrointestinal problems.

Hate Crimes against Disabled People

Disability was added in the list of categories of hate crimes in 1994. Statistics According to a survey by NCVS survey (National Crime Victimization) persons of age 12 and above with disabilities, 716, 000 were victims of non-fatal crimes and 2.3 million experienced property crimes in the year 2007 alone (Michael & Erika, 2009 p. 1). The non fatal crimes quoted by the survey included, sexual assault, rape, simple and aggravated assault and robbery. The property crimes cited included property theft, motor vehicle theft and household burglary (CRS, 2008). Approximately 34% of the crimes committed against persons with disabilities were aggressive violent crimes including aggravated assault, robbery and rape. 47000 rapes, 114,000 aggravated assaults, 79,000 robberies, 476 simple assaults were committed against people with disabilities (Michael & Erika, 2009 p 1). In this survey which was sponsored by BJS ( Bureau of Justice Statistics) had defined disability as a long lasting, physical, sensory, emotional or mental condition that limits an individual to perform common tasks with ease. The survey identified six disability conditions including physical, sensory, cognitive functioning, inability to go out of the house and unemployment (Michael & Erika, 2009 p. 1).

The sensory limitation in the survey included long term condition that affected the senses such as hearing impairment, deafness, or blindness (Franklin, 1997).  The physical limitation included inability to do a physical activity such as carrying something, lifting or climbing stairs. Self care limitation implied inability to do activities such as dressing, getting around or bathing. Employment limitation was considered to refer to conditions that may limit an individual from work a job or run a business. Their findings showed that the rate of crimes against the disabled was 1.5 times higher those of persons without disabilities. It also noted that the disabled were twice likely to be assaulted sexually as compared to other people. It also found that females with disabilities had a higher likelihood of being abused compared to their male counterparts. Also found that persons with mental disabilities had a higher likelihood of being assaulted than other disabilities. Also 1 in 5 victims of assaults believed they were attacked because of their disability (CRS, 1997). The victims also identified at least 1/3 of the perpetrators to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol (CRS, 2008). The study made comparisons of victimization with people without disabilities and hence generated age-adjusted rates which compared people with disabilities and a bit older people without disabilities. The rate of victimization for age-adjusted group for the disabled people was 1.5 times more than for those without disabilities (Michael & Erika, 2009 p. 1).