Hate-motivated crimes in Durham Region have increased by 77 per cent from 2023 to 2024, according to the Region of Durham.
It released the statistic while announcing that it has partnered with Victim Services of Durham Region (VSDR) to launch Community-Based Hate Reporting Program — a first of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
“Recent headlines highlight a troubling surge in hate-motivated crimes across Durham Region,” said a region statement.
Some of the headlines the region has seen recently according to the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) are:
- Ajax grapples with second hateful vandalism incident
- Oshawa home defaced with anti-LGBTQ2S+ slurs
- Police investigating Oshawa swarming attack advocates say may have been hate-motivated
- Witnesses sought after three hate-motivated graffiti incidents at Whitby libraries
The new program — to be officially launched later this month — consists of an online hate reporting tool (even for situations that don’t meet the threshold of criminality), wrap-around services and support for individuals who have experienced acts of hate, the region said.
Individuals can report incidents anonymously and there is no requirement to involve law enforcement, it added.
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