Quebec’s human rights commission says the vast majority of xenophobic and Islamophobic hatred in the province goes unreported to competent authorities.
The organization has released the results of a two-year study that recommends the provincial government recognize the phenomenon and prioritize measures aimed at combating it.
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The commission’s president says in 78 per cent of the cases it examined, the person experiencing the discrimination didn’t report the matter to authorities despite the fact it constitutes a serious form of prejudice.
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Participants cited a number of reasons for not reporting, including distrust in institutions, minimization of the acts, lack of awareness of the available remedies or concerns of racial profiling by police.
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The study looked at 86 people who reported experiencing xenophobic or Islamophobic hate in various regions of Quebec.
It was commissioned by the previous Liberal government under its anti-radicalization measures.