Effects of Race, Gender, and
Sexual Orientation on the
Experience of Hate Crimes in
Chicago
Megan Conrad, M.A.
Kyle Jones, M.A.
Alicia Matthews, Ph.D.
Paul Schewe, Ph.D.
Overview
• Background
• Purpose of this research
• Research design
• Results
• Discussion
• Implications for policy
Background
• Hate crime: motivated by racial, sexual, or other
prejudice
• 73% of hate crimes involve violence, compared
with 23% of all other crimes
• Racial bias is the most frequently reported hate
crime motivation
Chicago Police Department, 2008
Background
• When race is relevant, almost immediate and
uniform characterization as a hate crime
▫ Ricky Birdsong and James Byrd, Jr.
• Crimes against LGBT individuals do not always
get classified as hate crimes
• Massive underreporting of hate crimes against
LGBT individuals to law enforcement, but not
community-based organizations
Background
• Hate crimes against transgendered individuals
typically grouped with those against LGB people
• Different for several reasons:
▫ Characterized by increased severity and sexual assault
▫ Judicial and services system is gender binary
 Crime committed against biological male not generally
considered a hate crime
 Gender-based services limit help transgender victims can
receive
Gordon & Meyer, 2007; Stotzer, 2009; Taylor, 2007
Background
• Transwomen have been the target of escalating
rates of violence
• Being an ethnic minority confers additional
vulnerability to violence
• Almost complete “motivational silence” when
victim is transgendered person of color
▫ Lateisha Green, Ty’lia Mack, and Sidney Wright
▫ Was it the victim’s gender presentation or race
that inspired the violence?
Meyer (2010)
Purpose of this Research
• Aim #1: Develop a more complete picture of hate
crimes against the LGBT community in Chicago
• Aim #2: Illustrate the specific violence that
transgendered individuals face
• Aim #3: Report to the Chicago Commission on
Human Relations to shape policy decisions as
they affect LGBT people and LGBT people of
color
Research Design
• Retrospective cross-sectional and descriptive
design
• Data sources: Anti-Violence Project at the Center
of Halsted (COH) and the Chicago Police
Department (CPD)
• Supporting organization: Chicago Commission
on Human Relations (CCHR)
Anti-Violence Project at the COH
• Provides crisis support and ongoing services for
LGBTQ, queer, questioning, and HIV-affected
survivors of abuse and violence
• Has specific counseling, incident reporting
assistance, and court accompaniment services
• Collects standardized information from victim’s
report of violence as part of National Coalition of
Anti-Violence Programs
Chicago Police Department
• Collects and aggregates information on all
reported crimes
• Has become increasingly interested in collecting
sexual identity information from both
perpetrators and victims of crimes
Chicago Commission on Human Relations
• Enforces the Chicago Human Rights and
Chicago Fair Housing Ordinances
• Investigates claims of discrimination
• Provides aid to hate crime victims
• Employs education and mediation programs to
decrease violence and bigotry in partnership
with communities
Results – COH 2010
Total Reports
Case Type
Bias
Sexual assault
Domestic violence
Pick-up
Not classified
Police misconduct
Murder
Community Area
Bridgeport
Edgewater
Englewood
Humboldt Park
Hyde Park
Lakeview
Portage Park
Rogers Park
South Chicago
Unknown
Uptown
West Garfield Park
N
159
%
100
54
3
73
3
24
9
4
34.0
1.9
45.9
1.9
15.1
5.7
2.5
1
1
1
1
1
4
1
3
1
19
7
1
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
2.5
0.6
1.9
0.6
11.9
4.4
0.6
Results – COH 2010
Caller Identity
Family
Friend
Institutional victim representative
Lover/partner
Not entered
Other
Perpetrator/batterer
Service provider
Unknown
Victim
Witness
N
%
7
9
1
3
1
11
1
18
25
81
2
4.4
5.7
0.6
1.9
0.6
6.9
0.6
11.3
15.7
50.9
1.3
Results – COH 2010
Crimes and Offenses
Abduction/kidnapping
Arson
Assault (no weapon)
Assault (with weapon)
Attempted assault with weapon
Discrimination
Domestic violence
Drugging
Email harassment
Extortion/blackmail
Intimidation
Larceny/burglary/theft
Mail/literature harassment
Murder
Police raid
Rape
Robbery
Sexual assault
Sexual harassment
Telephone harassment
Unjustified arrest
Vandalism
Verbal harassment
N
%
1
1
34
11
3
13
53
5
1
2
25
5
1
3
1
6
2
17
2
2
1
3
27
0.6
0.6
21.4
6.9
1.9
8.2
33.3
3.1
0.6
1.3
15.7
3.1
0.6
1.9
0.6
3.8
1.3
10.7
1.3
1.3
0.6
1.9
17.0
Results – COH 2010
Bias/Motive
Anti-immigrant
Anti-transgender
Disability
Domestic violence
Economic
Heterosexist/anti-LGBTQ
HIV/AIDS related
Racist/ethnic
Religious
Sexist
No apparent bias
Unknown
Domestic Violence(DV) Crimes and Offenses
Physical abuse
Economic abuse
HIV related/medical abuse
Homo-/bi-phobia
Isolation
Psychological/emotional abuse
Threats
Transphobia
Use of children
Use of pets
N
%
1
8
1
52
1
30
5
1
1
2
10
10
0.6
5.0
0.6
32.7
0.6
18.9
3.1
0.6
0.6
1.3
6.3
6.3
34
15
2
3
18
45
15
6
4
1
21.4
9.4
1.3
1.9
11.3
28.3
9.4
3.8
2.5
0.6
Results – COH 2010
N
%
Incident Reporting
Complaint taken
No arrest
Offender arrested
Victim/client arrested
Police refused to take complaint
Not reported to police
Will report to police
Victim and offender arrested
Unknown
26
16
4
3
24
7
1
50
16.4
10.1
2.5
1.9
15.1
4.4
0.6
31.4
Bias/DV Classification
Attempting to get bias classification
Attempting to get DV classification
No classification available
Not reported by victim as bias
Not reported by victim as DV
Reported and classified as bias
Reported and classified as DV
Reported as DV but classification refused
Unknown
4
1
9
2
1
4
9
1
128
2.5
0.6
5.7
1.3
0.6
2.5
5.7
0.6
80.5
Results – COH 2010
N
%
Police Involved
City/municipal
County
43
1
27
0.6
Police Attitude
Courteous
Indifferent
Other deterrent behavior
Other deterrent speech
Physically abusive (no slurs)
Physically abusive (with slurs)
Unknown
Verbally abusive (no slurs)
Verbally abusive (with slurs)
13
10
1
1
1
1
128
1
3
8.2
6.3
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
80.5
0.6
1.9
Police Order Obtained
By victim
By offender
Not sought
Unknown
8
1
31
77
5.0
0.6
19.5
48.4
Results – COH 2010 Summary
• Heterosexist/anti-LGBTQ bias was most common
motive for hate crime
▫ Assault (no weapon), verbal harassment, intimidation, and
sexual assault were most common types of crime
• Domestic violence was most prevalent crime overall
• Caller was usually the victim or a service provider, when
known
• Most often not reported to police or reported with no
arrest
Results – CPD 2010-2012
N
%
Case Type
Nationalistic
Racial
Religious
Sexual Orientation
18
64
27
54
11
39.3
16.6
33.1
Yearly Breakdown
2010
2011
2012
54
63
46
33.1
38.7
28.2
Victim Age
13 - 18
19 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 50
51 - 60
61+
Not specified
21
50
23
13
19
11
24
12.9
30.7
14.1
8.0
11.7
6.7
14.7
Results – CPD 2010-2012
N
%
Victim Race
Black
Asian Pacific Islander
Caucasian
Hispanic
Not specified
63
5
46
21
28
38.7
3.1
28.2
12.9
17.2
Victim Sex
M
F
Not Specified
100
41
22
61.3
25.2
13.5
Results – CPD 2010-2012
Primary Crimes and Offenses
Aggravated Assault: Empty Hands - Serious
Aggravated Assault: Empty Hands – Not Serious
Aggravated Assault: Handgun
Aggravated Assault: Other Weapon
Aggravated Assault: Senior Citizen
Criminal Defacement
Cyberstalking
Harassment by electronic means
Harassment by telephone
Institutional Vandalism
Mental Health Transport
Mob Action
Other Crimes Against Person
Other Violation
Simple Assault
Strong Arm: No Weapon
Telephone Threat
Damage to City of Chicago Property
Damage to Private Property
Damage to Vehicle
Disposition
Bona Fide
Open
Undetermined
Unfounded
N
%
1
5
6
18
1
23
1
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
59
2
5
1
18
7
0.6
3.1
3.7
10.0
0.6
14.1
0.6
1.8
1.2
1.2
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
36.2
1.2
3.0
0.6
11
4.3
41
2
87
33
25.2
1.2
53.4
20.2
Results – CPD 2010-2012 Summary
• Crime most often motivated by racial or sexual
orientation bias
• Simple assault or criminal defacement were
most common
• Victims were most often aged 19-30, Black or
Caucasian, and male
• Case status is undetermined for most complaints
Discussion
• Aim #1: Develop a more complete picture of hate
crimes against the LGBT community in Chicago
▫ COH
 Assault (no weapon), verbal harassment,
intimidation, and sexual assault
 Domestic violence
▫ CPD
 Simple assault and defacement
 Ages 19-30, Black or Caucasian, and male
 Percentage attributed to sexual orientation slightly
higher than national average (33.1% vs. 20.8%)
Discussion
• Aim #2: Illustrate the specific violence that
transgendered individuals face
▫ COH: No victim demographics
▫ CPD: Biological sex, but not gender identity,
available in the current data
▫ Cannot make any conclusions regarding violence
specific to transgendered individuals
Discussion
• Aim #3: Report to the Chicago Commission on
Human Relations to shape policy decisions as
they affect LGBT people and LGBT people of
color
▫ Immediately organized quarterly meetings to
discuss hate crimes from these different
perspectives
• COH, CPD, CCHR, Anti-Defamation League, UIC
• Will continue as policy changes are made
Discussion
• Working relationships and access to data were crucial
• COH
▫ Already de-identified, allowing for quick access
▫ Part of a standardized national data collection effort
▫ Most often reported by service providers, with hate crime
designation made by caller
• CPD
▫ Sensitive nature of data required more time to gain access
▫ Information obtained from actual case reports
▫ Hate crime designation based on legal definition
Implications for Policy
• Conduct a community forum with major
stakeholders to talk about hate crimes,
resources, and reporting
▫ Necessary to increase education about what a hate
crime is and why victims should report them
• Publish information about this experience as
well as the data (Windy City Times, peerreviewed journal)
Implications for Policy
• Within LGBT community, domestic violence is
an increasing concern
• Community awareness, outreach, and
prevention/treatment services are needed
• Even more difficult to access for transwomen,
who are often barred from women’s shelters
Thank you for your time and support!
• Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy
• COH: Lisa Gilmore, Director of Education and
Victim Advocacy
• CPD: Timothy Lavery, Chief Operations
Research Analyst; Sgt. Lori Cooper,
Commanding Officer, Special Activities Section
• CCHR: Mona Noriega, Commissioner
References
Chicago Police Department. (2008). Hate crimes in Chicago: 2008 Annual
Report. Chicago, IL.
Gordon, A., & Meyer, I.H. (2007). Gender nonconformity as a target of
prejudice, discrimination, and violence against LGB individuals. Journal of
LGBT Health Research, 3(3), 55-71.
Meyer, D. (2010). Evaluating the severity of hate-motivated violence:
Intersectional differences among LGBT hate crime victims. Sociology,
44(5), 980-995.
Stotzer, R.L. (2009). Violence against transgender people: A review of the
United States data. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 14, 170-179.
Taylor, J.K. (2007). Transgender identities and public policy in the United
States: The relevance for public administration. Administration & Society,
39(7), 833-856.