Cycles of Violence: Racist Hate Crime in Northern Ireland

Over the last two decades, Northern Ireland has become increasingly more diverse in terms of languages, cultures and religions. The proportion of the usually resident population born outside Northern Ireland rose significantly from 9% in 2001 to 11% in 2011. This change was largely as a result of inward migration by people born in the 12 countries that have joined the European Union (EU) since 2004. These EU accession countries accounted for 2% (35,700) of people usually resident in Northern Ireland on Census Day 2011. With increasing diversity has come increased attention to hate crime in our society. Politicians, academics, statutory, voluntary and community sector organisations and media are increasingly keen to look at the causes and impacts of hate crime, but seldom does this result in action for victims and, in some cases, ethnic minorities are subject to victim-blaming (e.g. see McDonald 2009).