How Bias Victimization Amongst Latinx Communities Impacts Political Engagement

• In Event: Long Term Consequences of Victimization

Abstract

In recent years, scholars and advocates have noted a rising number of bias victimization and hate crimes being reported. For Latinx populations, victimization experiences have been surging, particularly bias victimization and general anti-immigrant sentiment. While more efforts have aimed to address health consequences related to victimization, limited scholarship has examined the impact of bias victimization on political engagement within this population. Bias victimization can be particularly corrosive to an individual’s faith in government, and political environments can have strong influence in both reporting of crime and the ability for an individual to feel connected to society after experiencing harm. This study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the relationship between bias/hate crime victimization and general lifetime victimization on faith in government as well as willingness to participate in political areas. Results demonstrate that experiencing bias victimization increases the likelihood to politically participate while being negatively associated with faith in government. This paper shows the importance of situating victimization in broader social contexts, and the related implications for institutions outside of the criminal justice system.

Authors

• Sarah Lockwood, Northeastern University

• Kevin Drakulich, Northeastern University

• Alexis Yohros, Northeastern University

• Carlos A. Cuevas, Northeastern University

• Amy Farrell, Northeastern University