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Oregonians Urged To Report Hate Crimes

Katie Dunne

Oregon’s Attorney General is urging residents to call in hate crimes to authorities.  As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, this follows a rash of incidents after the election.

Hate crimes can include acts of violence, harassment, vandalism, or intimidation against a person’s race, religion, gender, and/or sexual identity.

The Southern Poverty Law Center says there were more than 400 incidents in the week after Donald Trump’s election victory alone, particularly against African-Americans, Latinos, and Muslims.

Jennifer Van Der Haegen manages the City of Eugene’s Office of Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement.  She says there’s not been a significant increase of hate crimes in the area recently, but…

“…these events go dramatically underreported,” says Van Der Haegen.  “Between 25 and 42 percent are reported to police.  And so while we haven’t seen a dramatic increase, we are doing our best to educate the community and let them know that we are here for them.”

Van Der Haegen says people can report hateful acts to her office, or to Eugene Police if the incident is criminal in nature.  

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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