Hate crime protections

LGBTQ+ people are protected from hate crimes in 51 countries.

DATE

Hate crime protections

Hate-crime protections are laws that treat an offence more seriously when it is motivated by bias against someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. When a crime—such as assault, vandalism, or threats—is proven to be bias-motivated, prosecutors can request tougher penalties or judges can add extra time to a sentence. The aim is to recognise the broader harm these attacks inflict on the LGBTQ community and to deter would-be offenders.

The scope of these protections varies widely. Some regions limit them to violent crimes, while others include property damage, harassment, or even hateful speech. Many modern laws now list both sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics, though older statutes sometimes cover only one or the other. Enforcement remains uneven: bias can be hard to prove, victims may be reluctant to report, and police training on identifying hate crimes is inconsistent. Even so, more jurisdictions are updating their legal codes and data-collection practices, signalling a growing recognition that bias-motivated violence requires a distinct, stronger response.

Summary

51
Protected
51 regions (26%)
Protected
25
Some protections
25 regions (13%)
Some protections
91
No protections
91 regions (46%)
No protections
31
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
31 regions (16%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
25 regions (50%)
Some protections
10 regions (20%)
No protections
8 regions (16%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
7 regions (14%)
Oceania
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (21%)
Some protections
1 regions (7%)
No protections
7 regions (50%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (21%)
South America
58%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
7 regions (58%)
Some protections
2 regions (17%)
No protections
3 regions (25%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
57%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
13 regions (57%)
Some protections
1 regions (4%)
No protections
8 regions (35%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (4%)
Africa
6%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (6%)
Some protections
7 regions (13%)
No protections
35 regions (65%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (17%)
Asia
0%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
regions (0%)
Some protections
4 regions (9%)
No protections
30 regions (68%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
10 regions (23%)

Timeline of hate crime protections

Number of countries to have hate crime protections over the past 61 years.

Recent & Upcoming Changes

Upcoming Changes

2025

2024

2023

Hate crime protections by Country

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Hate crime protections is sexual orientation and gender identity in 51 regions.

  1. Europe (25)
  2. Albania 2013
  3. Andorra 2022
  4. Belgium 2022
  5. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2016
  6. Croatia 2019
  7. Cyprus 2017
  8. Denmark 2022
  9. Finland 2011
  10. France
  11. Germany 2024
  12. Greece 2024
  13. Hungary 2012
  14. Iceland 2022
  15. Ireland 2024
  16. Kosovo 2019
  17. Luxembourg 2023
  18. Malta 2012
  19. Moldova 2022
  20. Montenegro 2023
  21. North Macedonia 2023
  22. Norway 2020
  23. Portugal 2024
  24. Serbia 2012
  25. Spain 2022
  26. Sweden 2019
  27. North America (13)
  28. Antigua and Barbuda 2021
  29. Canada 2017
  30. Costa Rica 2022
  31. Cuba 2022
  32. Dominica 2021
  33. El Salvador 2015
  34. Grenada 2021
  35. Honduras 2013
  36. Nicaragua 2021
  37. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2021
  38. Saint Lucia 2021
  39. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2021
  40. United States 2009
  41. Africa (3)
  42. Cape Verde 2015
  43. Mozambique 2020
  44. Seychelles 2024
  45. Oceania (3)
  46. Australia 2025
  47. New Zealand 2002
  48. Samoa 2016
  49. South America (7)
  50. Argentina 2012
  51. Bolivia 2010
  52. Brazil 2019
  53. Chile 2012
  54. Ecuador 2014
  55. Peru 2017
  56. Uruguay 2003

Sexual orientation only

Hate crime protections is sexual orientation only in 18 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Israel 2004
  3. Timor-Leste 2009
  4. Europe (10)
  5. Austria 2016
  6. Bulgaria 2023
  7. Georgia 2025
  8. Lithuania 2022
  9. Monaco 2020
  10. Netherlands 2025
  11. Romania 2006
  12. San Marino 2016
  13. Slovakia 2006
  14. Slovenia 2008
  15. North America (1)
  16. Belize 2024
  17. Africa (4)
  18. Angola 2021
  19. Kenya 2023
  20. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  21. Tanzania 2023
  22. South America (1)
  23. Colombia 2001

Protected in some contexts

Hate crime protections is protected in some contexts in 7 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Bhutan 2015
  3. Mongolia 2017
  4. Africa (3)
  5. Chad 2017
  6. Lesotho 2022
  7. Malawi 2018
  8. Oceania (1)
  9. Vanuatu
  10. South America (1)
  11. Venezuela 2017

No protections

Hate crime protections is no protections in 91 regions.

  1. Asia (30)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Cambodia
  6. China
  7. India
  8. Iran
  9. Iraq
  10. Japan
  11. Jordan
  12. Kazakhstan
  13. Kuwait
  14. Kyrgyzstan
  15. Malaysia
  16. Myanmar
  17. Nepal
  18. North Korea
  19. Oman
  20. Qatar
  21. Saudi Arabia
  22. Singapore
  23. South Korea
  24. Syria
  25. Taiwan
  26. Tajikistan
  27. Thailand
  28. Turkmenistan
  29. United Arab Emirates
  30. Uzbekistan
  31. Vietnam
  32. Europe (8)
  33. Azerbaijan
  34. Czechia
  35. Estonia
  36. Latvia
  37. Poland
  38. Switzerland
  39. Turkey
  40. Vatican City
  41. North America (8)
  42. Bahamas
  43. Barbados
  44. Dominican Republic
  45. Guatemala
  46. Haiti
  47. Jamaica
  48. Panama
  49. Trinidad and Tobago
  50. Africa (35)
  51. Algeria
  52. Benin
  53. Botswana
  54. Burkina Faso
  55. Cameroon
  56. Central African Republic
  57. Côte d’Ivoire
  58. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  59. Djibouti
  60. Egypt
  61. Eswatini
  62. Ethiopia
  63. Gabon
  64. Gambia
  65. Ghana
  66. Guinea
  67. Guinea-Bissau
  68. Liberia
  69. Libya
  70. Madagascar
  71. Mali
  72. Mauritius
  73. Morocco
  74. Namibia
  75. Niger
  76. Rwanda
  77. Senegal
  78. Somalia
  79. South Africa
  80. South Sudan
  81. Sudan
  82. Togo
  83. Tunisia
  84. Zambia
  85. Zimbabwe
  86. Oceania (7)
  87. Federated States of Micronesia
  88. Fiji
  89. Marshall Islands
  90. Nauru
  91. Papua New Guinea
  92. Tonga
  93. Tuvalu
  94. South America (3)
  95. Guyana
  96. Paraguay
  97. Suriname

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on hate crime protections is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 31 regions.

  1. Asia (10)
  2. Brunei
  3. Indonesia
  4. Laos
  5. Lebanon
  6. Maldives
  7. Pakistan Varies by Region
  8. Palestine
  9. Philippines Varies by Region
  10. Sri Lanka
  11. Yemen
  12. Europe (7)
  13. Armenia Ambiguous
  14. Belarus Ambiguous
  15. Italy Ambiguous
  16. Liechtenstein Ambiguous
  17. Russia Ambiguous
  18. Ukraine Ambiguous
  19. United Kingdom Varies by Region
  20. North America (1)
  21. Mexico Varies by Region
  22. Africa (9)
  23. Burundi
  24. Comoros
  25. Equatorial Guinea Ambiguous
  26. Eritrea
  27. Mauritania
  28. Nigeria Varies by Region
  29. Republic of the Congo
  30. Sierra Leone
  31. Uganda
  32. Oceania (3)
  33. Kiribati
  34. Palau
  35. Solomon Islands
  36. Antarctica (1)
  37. Antarctica N/A

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