Attacking what I am

1
Attacking what I am

• Psychological effects of hate crime individual
  experience or community effect?
• Inta Dzelme, Ph. D.

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hate crime

• As stated on the Latvian Centre for Human Rights
  Hate Crime Incident Report Form, being a victim
  of this kind of crime can be a particularly
  frightening experience as you have been
  victimized because of who you are, or who or what
  your attackers think you are.

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hate crime

• Perry (2001) states that hate crime intent is to
  subordinate and intimidate not only the victim
  but also the entire community of which they are
  part of, by sending a message that they are
  different and they dont belong.
• It is implicated not merely in the relationship
  between the direct participants, but also in
  the relationship between the different
  communities to which they belong.
• The damage involved goes far beyond physical or
  financial damages. It reaches into the community
  to create fear, hostility, and suspicion.

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the study

• This study touches upon three internally and
  externally diverse groups of people in Latvia,
  victimized by hate crimes
• Visible minorities, currently residing in Latvia
• People singled out for their sexual
  orientationbisexuals, gays and lesbians (BGL)
• Roma in Latvia.

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flaws of the study

• Small sample of participants- only few are
  willing to report, disclose, discuss 
• Several of previously identified possible
  respondents had left the country
• The level of vulnerability involved in the
  in-depth interviews request to disclose ones
  personal experiences
• Languagefor several participants English or
  Latvian were not their native languages. Because
  of this, at times the nuances of the feelings and
  thoughts cannot be full perceived.

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nothing personal

• "They weren't waiting for me, just for
  someone."Accurate statistics on hate crimes --
  those motivated by racial, religious, ethnic,
  sexual and other prejudices -- do not exist.
• In literature it is noted that not a sufficient
  numberof studies address psychological effects of
  hate crime on its victims.

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you shouldnt be here

• What are you doing in my country?!
• I live here! I have family.
• Why probably I am messing with his women?!
• And then I asked him, if he has job, if he has
  family? He saidya. He is student, he is 26
  years old. He has a family. I do not remember if
  he has a child.
• And I asked him Why are you doing what youre
  doing?
• And he said You know, because you are in my
  country! I dont like that!
• And I saidam I a bad person?
• He said No, you are NOT a bad person, but you
  shouldnt be here!

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damaging effects on victims

• A sense of anger is one of the common responses
  to being the victim of a hate crime, but so is a
  deep sense of personal hurt and betrayal. Victims
  experience feelings of powerlessness, isolation,
  sadness and suspicion.
• Fear is another pervasive victim response.
  Victims fear for their own safety and for their
  family's safety.
• Most report changes in their lifestyle such as
  where they walk, how they answer the phone,
  reactions to strangers, suspicion of co-workers,
  and other such changes.
• Fear can take on paranoid qualities and
  drastically disrupt the lives of some victims.
  One of the most common reactions is a sense of
  injustice, and a corresponding loss of faith in
  law enforcement and the whole criminal justice
  system, which is often felt to be insensitive and
  disinterested.

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establishing trust

• In-depth interviews, semi- structured
• Sharing my own very personal experiences
• Non- institutional settings (coffee shops, public
  places, apartments)

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vulnerability

• I think just one thing! I do not know for women
  but for a mento talk about this it is
  humiliation I meanno man feels comfortable
  talking about that someone hits you on the head
• it is really embarrassing even to talk to
  another member of the organization it is really
  something humiliating to talk about I

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physical attacks

• I know people who have been attacked very very
  badly.
• before I had direct incident, I think it was not
  that difficult

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physical attacks

• I was by myself. And it is always that-- when I
  am with someonenothing happens, but when I am by
  myself, I am confronted by these people.
• I never had a problem with it until you get
  attacked
• This is naturally what you want to do--- make
  sure you are protected, you make sure you react
  on time
• I wasnt on the watch out. That's why they came
  to me.

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always on alert

• Of course, youreyes become sharper! Clearer. You
  make sure that you look ALLL around you

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public disclosures

• Physical abuses happen more then they are
  reported to police, often they are shared just
  with the closest people.
• It actually happens more often, people do not
  know what to do, it is what they report to me.
• I meanreal physical attackin this year I know
  three.

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• When it really gets physical I think that this
  trauma probably remains. I can imagine those
  victimsgoing again to those places.
• Its really a problem because you can say,
  especially to children Dont go out in the dark,
  Dont go there, Dont go there. But when it
  happens in front of your house

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racial slurs

• The fact is that it is part of common life
• People encounter a lot of verbal abuses
• For me personallyI think I encounter at least
  once a week. If it is not spoken, then it in some
  other wayby a gesture, or a look, or something.
• I think there is a lot of non- verbal
  communication here in Latvia, a lot more then
  verbal.

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resentment

• It is harder to be here now, then before.
• For methose 10- 15 years agoI wouldnt be
  surprised to hear all this, I remember very well.
• So the images that I see, whether or not people
  of Latvia will accept those images, is pretty
  much 1960s 1970s United States- segregations.
• Racially motivated attacks have basically no
  real reason, no excuse in Latvia.

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psychological impact

• I am no longer naïve
• I am less naïve about life, and less naïve about
  future And I mentioned several times I miss my
  naivety!
• Psychologically I have become a bit paranoid
  about strangers around me
• I refuse to let people close to me they have to
  prove to me that they mean me no harm

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physical symptoms constriction and stress

• Physically look at me! Look at me! I work out
  hard!I am preparing myselffor combat!
• I have not hurt a person, and I hope I will
  never do, but I am aware about what these people
  can do! I have seen
• I was much lighter. But now I feel like I have a
  weight on my shoulders I cant relax!
• I cant I cant breathe!

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emotions- a vicious cycle

• Emotionally I have become less tolerantI have
  not become insensitive, but I have become less
  tolerant of everyday lets saystupid acts
  that people do! And I am not talking about
  racism, I am just talking about the normal
  thingsimpatience in those things that really
  happen
• I feel how impatient these people are

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impact

• I felt very strange suddenly you feelVERYunsafe
  that is one side of it
• and also you feel that living in such society
  that can be so judgmental that they will make
  their job, their profession, their aim to look
  at someone and beat up, because it is not fitting
  to their comfort description of what people
  should look like

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my fear isit does not end there!

• The people who can say this kind of things can be
  very aggressive
• Yea, this is trauma and my biggest fear is that
  if people would think-- there are not really
  many people, just a few attacks, it is just an
  exaggeration of situation, they would sayyea,
  yea, its just two attacks.. but do you
  realizewhats in the mind of those peopleif it
  is just one person a year it affects his whole
  life!

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concern for children

• I think it is really a big trauma for children. .
  
• I was together with my kids and someone calling
  one of them monkey... and saying them to go home
  
• Actually they are born here, they are Latvians
  and have Latvian passport.
• And to be told to go homeits really like a big
  trauma for them

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worries about children

• The thing that comes to my mind is will they be
  safe where they need to go?
• We keep restricting our children they can not go
  there, they can not do this, can not do that I
  want them to have freedom!
• Of course, things might change! But the way it is
  now, when we have children who have been
  attacked!!! It does not sound really very
  optimistic!

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because of the children

• Thats why I think may be they dont like us!
• Everybody! They dont like us!
• And I am living here only only thats why I
  have child here! Only! I dont like live here, in
  this country! I dont like!

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children

• As for me.. I know how to take care of myself! I
  am happy that I have some kind of muscle, and
  people are afraid to hit me on the streets, but
  him The most I worry about is his future in
  general
• If anyone ever tries to do this to my daughter
  so God help them, period!
• Anyone who touches my childrenit is very
  dangerous! With meits no problem, but my child!
  Its the lastday for them! I dont care for them,
  anyone, who would touch my child! No! AndI am
  not afraid!

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disdain

• If you do it to meI am an adult! I have to
  respond in one way or another! But if you do it
  to a child or in a childs presencethere is no
  excuse! And that is what I mean with developing
  a high level of insensitivity towards people in
  this country!

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places of security

• You know, it is always this contrast!
• You feel how insecure you arejust moving out of
  this your comfort zone!
• I am rarely finding myself in situations that I
  do not have this community support! That is
  easier.

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personal consequences

• I am tired tired of running
• The fearI was really scared! Even to go out, on
  a street, then
• Restricting who I am
• How can I change THAT?

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no one seemed to care

• When others seemed not to care, the effects on
  victims were intensified. Such a perceived lack
  of concern, whether from neighbors, strangers,
  officials, or whomever, add to the sense of
  isolation. Somehow, when others do care, the
  trauma is softened. When others seemed not to
  care, victims experience the incidents as
  portentous, calling into question their entire
  outlook on the world.

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the people around

• In that bus stop.
• I am waiting there, and sitting on this bench.
  And three young people What are you doing? And
  they are looking and asking Why?... Why you are
  here? And while they are looking at me? I am
  sayingI am sorry, I am not looking, I am
  waiting for my child. They are coming, after five
  or six minutes. But they are asking Why you
  are here? And they start beating me. And they
  start beat me, and after that I fell down, yea?
  And I I dont remember that time what happened,
  yea? After that, I want to stand up, but I cant.
  I have like, it is dark inside. And my mind is
  only thinking My child is coming now, after two
  or three minutes at that time, yea. And I want to
  stand up, but I cant. Three times. And people,
  people, they are standing, yea. But no one
  helping. No one helping. Not one.. yea.

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the people around

• The other thing that bothers me in that situation
  and in other situation that Ive mentioned and
  that I havent mentionedis that the of people
  around me because my opinion about racism in
  LatviaI do not judge the 3 of people that are
  actively perpetrating, but I judge the 97,
  because I feel that they are the greater
  problem. The silence is the greatest problem.
  Their lack of not only of involvement, but their
  lack of conversation in this society.
• I think that is a greatest crime then the actual
  acts of racism
• There are always people out who do not see that
  there is a problem. There are always eye-
  witnesses who do not say No, this is wrong!
  People are just very passive about this kind of
  things.

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consequences to society

• It is creating so much fear! And negativity in
  people, they think there are things they cannot
  do!
• The consequences are It really makes you to see
  your life differently, it makes you ask a lot of
  questions. And makes you less confident.
• Not feeling free, yes.

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leaving Latvia

• From now on I wont be in Latvia
• Yes, of course, there are also economic
  issuesshe doesnt think she can get enough money
  here, and she needs to take care of her kid
• Every time I leave LatviaI do not want to come
  back
• I mean is not the way to lead their life, they
  want to be free, to do what they want to do.

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hopes for better

• I just wanted to break up this barrier!
• This is how it expands!
• I mean I really hope that the things will change!
• Positive experiences with police he told me the
  police were quite friendly, and they took down
  everything that he told them. And they said they
  will investigate

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hopes for better

• Role of the NGOs
• Educating about possibilities for help and
  support, and alsowhat could be gained from
  talking to a professional, having a witness,
  telling onesstory
• It is NOT about healing them or hearing them
  you know, people are always very careful about
  this kind of things
• It is about Lets look how we can cooperate!
• Sort off Let us exchange information, and see
  how we can help, or