WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HATE CRIME AND A BIAS/HATE INCIDENT?
Hate/bias incidents involve behaviours that, though motivated by bias against a victim’s race, religion, ethnic/national origin, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation, are not criminal acts. Hostile speech or other disrespectful/discriminatory behaviour may be motivated by bias but is not necessarily criminal in nature. They become hate crimes only when they directly incite others to commit violence against identifiable groups, or if they place a potential victim/group in fear of their safety.