CNW - Ontario and Crime Stoppers launched a new video Monday to encourage people to recognize and report hate crimes.
The Hate Destroys Lives DVD was produced for the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers with funding provided by the Ontario government. It features police and community hate crime experts discussing hate crime and the harm it does to victims. It urges people to report hate crimes to local police or, anonymously, to Crime Stoppers.
“We are attacking the roots of hate crime and the culture of silence that allows these heinous acts to escalate,” said Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Rick Bartolucci. “By raising awareness, we hope more people will report and help reduce hate crime incidents.”
Ontario has seen an increase in hate crimes in recent years. In its report, “Addressing Hate Crimes in Ontario,” the Hate Crimes Community Working Group proposed a public education campaign to encourage people to report hate crimes to police for action.
The government-sponsored DVD will be distributed to all police services and Crime Stoppers chapters across Ontario. It will also be shown at schools, youth and community organizations across the province.
