YOUNGSTOWN Speakers zero in on hate crimes

Keeping track of statistics is a problem because some states do not document such crimes.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Gloria McCauley told of a child whose father literally threw him out of the house for being gay. The father was never prosecuted. Many such crimes aren't.
McCauley, executive director of Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization, was one of three professionals to speak at a workshop Wednesday about hate and bias crimes, sponsored by Help Hotline Crisis Center and part of Victim Awareness Week.
She talked about same-sex crimes and offered several insights. Homophobia contributes to keeping these hate crimes hidden. Often, gay people are told to expect such violence because of their sexual orientation, she said.
Keeping track of statistics is a problem because some states have no agencies to document such crimes. Even a murder may not be counted as a hate crime. Domestic violence is as much a problem in same-sex relationships as in heterosexual ones. McCauley said many are afraid to report the crime because it becomes part of the public record.
Untrained officers confuse domestic violence in same-sex relationships with assault, adding to the problem. The victim and perpetrator are often both arrested when police fail to see any patterns, McCauley said.
Another angle: Some hate crimes are difficult to prosecute because they're under civil rights statutes, making it harder to prove them as hate crimes, said Willie R. Oliver, president of the local NAACP chapter.
Crimes based on race and other factors need more enforcement and prosecution, he said.
"The only way things will change is if the moral consciousness of the perpetrator takes place within," he said.
Pamela Washington, a victims' advocate, said she would like to see more training for law enforcement, as well as additional resources for victims.
No statistics are kept locally on hate crimes, making it harder to do more toward prevention, she said.