In October 2023, I started an internship with Victim Support. Part of my role was to conduct a literature review in preparation for the production of an accessible report exploring the experiences of victims of hate crime through recent, pre-existing academic research in the field. The main focus of the internship was to make academic knowledge on hate crime easily accessible to different audiences, such as practitioners in the field and the general public.
The accessibility of academic knowledge is an important and often overlooked phenomenon. Research articles are increasingly less accessible to audiences outside academia, due to paywalls and the heavy use of academic language and specialised terms. As a result, there is a disconnect between criminological knowledge on the experiences of victims of hate crime and practitioners supporting victims.
I deeply believe that the purpose of research in social sciences is to positively influence our communities. By summarising a range of empirical studies, simplifying the language employed in those articles and highlighting the main findings, this internship project provides an academic yet accessible insight into victims’ experiences of hate crime. I hope that this will be used to update the knowledge and training of practitioners in the field and to inform the general public.
The findings of this report can also be used for training campaigns and seminars provided by Victim Support and other civil society organisations at the “front line” of supporting victims. For instance, the report has already been presented to the Hate Crime Community of Practice and the Hate and Community Tensions Board Cymru.
I am thankful to Victim Support and WISERD for providing me this opportunity which has significantly contributed to my professional and academic development. Under the excellent supervision of Becca Rosenthal (Wales Hate Support Centre Manager), I managed to meet an amazing, passionate team of practitioners who welcomed me warmly, provided me with their insights and supported me throughout this project.
After meetings with members of Victim Support, I gained an insight into the overall function of the organisation in terms of roles, practices, research, events, and collaborations. I also attended different training sessions on hate crime, which allowed me to understand the topic in a way that goes beyond academic knowledge and focuses on lived experiences. I also developed my skills in non-academic writing and non-academic presentations, a valued set of skills that I will definitely need in the future.
Lastly, I want to highlight the importance of the work of Victim Support in supporting victims and engaging with communities. Everyone working in the organisation has a real interest and selfless passion for their work, regardless of the hardships that they face. Working with victims, listening to their stories and findings ways to efficiently help them is a complex and sensitive line of work that I personally find admirable. This has been one of the best and most interesting working environments I have ever had the chance to work in.