Challenges in Investigating Hate Crime within Hard-to-Reach Communities

Researching Hate Crime: Methodological Challenges with Investigating Hard-to-Reach Communities Jon Garland @Jon_Garland67

Outline Framing the Research Aims and Objectives Methodology The Role of the Survey Successes and Issues

The Leicester Hate Crime Project Framing the Research Rethinking dominant theory Moving beyond the five recognised hate crime victim groups Hearing the voices of those at the margins Understanding victim needs

The Leicester Hate Crime Project Received 370k of ESRC funding Two-year project based in Leicester Very small research team Involvement of outside agency

The Leicester Hate Crime Project Aims of the Project To establish the nature and impact of victimisation directed at people because of their identity, perceived vulnerability or difference To identify commonalities, differences and intersections within the experiences of victims of hate crime To assess hate crime victims expectations & experiences of agency responses To inform the quality of service provision offered to victims of hate crime

The Leicester Hate Crime Project Methodology Large-scale quantitative survey of victims of targeted violence from all sections of Leicester s diverse population (online and hard copy) Semi-structured interviews and focus groups with victims of targeted violence

The Survey Steering Group input Piloted amongst critical friends Translated into 8 languages Issued online and via hard copy

The Official Route Began with a database of 400 group, community and organisational contacts Approached gate keepers to major organisations and community leaders in Leicester Limited success in gaining access to potential participants

Barriers to Accessing Participants Overprotective agencies One individual speaking for a whole community Access to over-researched populations Gatekeepers making unreasonable demands Failure to capture the hard to reach groups

The Soft Approach Employed a grass roots methodology to engaging with communities Attended 100s of events and drop-ins For example coffee mornings, exercise clubs, youth groups, gay choirs, assemblies, music festivals, care homes and charity events Presentations and discussion core element to generating interest Developed a database of over 1,600 contacts and still growing

The Survey - Successes All three ways of administering it have been productive Had over 1,200 responses Reached all target communities Already generating fascinating results

Weve Had Participation From African Caribbeans Indian, Pakistan and Bangladeshi Somalians Zimbaweans Sudanese, Congolese and Eritrea Sri Lanka Polish and Lithuanian English Gypsies Roma Gypsies Jewish people Hindus Sikhs Muslims White British LGB&T communities Asylum seekers/refugees People with mental health issues Victims of elder abuse The homeless People with alcohol and drug problems People with HIV and AIDS Members of alternative subcultures Victims of body shape abuse Taxi drivers and restaurant workers

The Survey - Issues Translated questionnaires almost unused Online version not as successful as we d hoped Too long & complicated Nearly 200 non-victims completed survey Significant number also filled in incorrectly

Conclusions Need grassroots , soft approach Hard-copy questionnaires may still be the best method Be imaginative & persistent

Email: uolhatecrime@le.ac.uk Tel: 0116 252 3784 Mobile: 07795 826 061 Website: www.le.ac.uk/leicesterhatecrimeproject