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Illinois launches ‘Help Stop Hate’ program in response to rising hate crimes

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Illinois

The state of Illinois announced a new program aimed at stemming hate crimes and other forms of bias as reports surge across the state and country.

Help Stop Hate will allow victims and witnesses to anonymously report hate crimes, bias and harassment to the state through an online portal and hotline. […]

The program, which has been running since April, isn’t affiliated with law enforcement, but people who report incidents can choose to be connected with police departments. Depending on the nature of the report, callers can also be connected to resources like nonprofit organizations, mental health support, the Illinois attorney general’s office or shelters for people who feel unsafe at home.

Help Stop Hate was partly funded by a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice over three years. It is also built into the state budget, said Jim Bennett, director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

* Capitol News Illinois…

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago branch, there has been a 196% increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in Chicago since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The Anti-Defamation League reports a 379% increase in antisemitic incidents since 2019 in Illinois. […]

The Illinois Department of Human Rights and the state’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes oversee the program. It allows people who have experienced hate crimes to go to IlStopHate.org or call 877-458-HATE and talk about the incident. They will be directed to a specialized resource based on the nature of the crime.

They can, for example, speak to professionals from their own communities, acquire help dealing with trauma or connect with resources that can provide additional safety measures. The victim can also report the crime to state or local police, who will investigate further. […]

Jim Bennett, IDHR director, said a statewide study on hate crimes will be conducted in 2025.

* More…

Windy City Times | Illinois launches new hotline for anonymously reporting hate crimes:

* WCIA | ‘Help Stop Hate’ service launches in Illinois:: The service is free. Online reports can be made in seven languages English, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, Polish, Arabic and Hindi. Callers can receive care from specialists trained in cultural competency and trauma informed care.

* Center Square | ‘Stop hate’ hotline costs taxpayers $5 million: Officials said hate crimes reached an all-time high last year, with nearly 12,000 incidents reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Pritzker set aside a $5 million, 5-year supplemental fund to support Help Stop Hate and the commission in the fiscal year 2024 budget.

Thoughts?

posted by Isabel Miller
Friday, Nov 1, 24 @ 10:12 am

Comments

Reworded Headlines
Windy City: New Hotline for Reporting Hate Crimes
WCIA: New Help Stop Hate Service
Center Square: Taxpayers on the hook for $5 million

Comment by Steve Polite Friday, Nov 1, 24 @ 10:35 am
Love this. I hope fiscal support is maintained in the coming years.

Anonymous reporting of sexual assault, hate crimes, discrimination, bigotry, etc. is not problematic. It simply would allow people to report what they experienced, and allow others to investigate in necessary, to see if there is corroborating evidence. Should the evidence exist, then the agency could recommend actions. If not, then the agency could ensure counseling for the person who experienced the event.

The state already does this to a lessor degree as an employer. A student once reported me for asking a question about racial inequalities (I am a sociologist and an expert regarding ethnic inequalities in labor market processes and outcome). When the anonymous report was made, the university simply investigated, and let me know there was a complaint made. Rather than becoming defensive, I thought about how I might teach these facts differently, that might be less offensive to students who are new to the studies. No harm, no foul. Just better understanding all around.

Comment by H-W Friday, Nov 1, 24 @ 10:40 am
“Center Square | ‘Stop hate’ hotline costs taxpayers $5 million”

“A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” — Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan (1893)

Comment by @misterjayem Friday, Nov 1, 24 @ 10:45 am
Center square is always asking; “Why does Pritzker hate America?”, they just find new ways to phrase it.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Friday, Nov 1, 24 @ 11:19 am
== “Center Square | ‘Stop hate’ hotline costs taxpayers $5 million” ==

Better Version: ‘Stop Hate’ hotline only costs $0.80 per Illinois taxpayer.

Comment by Leap Day William Friday, Nov 1, 24 @ 11:44 am
I think it’s good to give victims of hate crimes additional support. I think it’s good to improve tracking of hate crimes.

But anyone who thinks this program will do anything to actually stop hate crimes is kidding themselves.

Comment by JoanP Friday, Nov 1, 24 @ 12:37 pm