Illinois promoted a new program aimed at stemming hate crimes and other forms of bias as reports surge. Help Stop Hate will allow victims and witnesses to anonymously report hate crimes, bias and harassment to the state through an online portal and hotline. Gov. JB Pritzker and other state leaders said the state has seen a concerning climb in hate crimes in the past year, even as many go unreported. "As someone who has stood up against hate throughout my life, I’m horrified by this trend,” Pritzker said, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
Last year, 303 hate crimes were reported in Chicago, the highest number since at least 2012 This year, 222 hate crimes have been reported. Last weekend, an Orthodox Jewish man was shot while walking to a synagogue, prompting advocates to call for hate crime charges.
The program, which has been running since April, isn’t affiliated with law enforcement, but people who report incidents can choose to be connected with police departments. Callers can also be connected to resources like nonprofit organizations, mental health support, the Illinois attorney general’s office or shelters for people who feel unsafe at home. Help Stop Hate was partly funded by a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice over three years. It is also built into the state budget. Officials hope the program will provide the state with information about where to focus efforts to reduce hate crimes. The Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes is set to begin a statewide study on hate and host town halls to educate advocates and law enforcement about a bill that would require training on hate crimes for law enforcement.
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