Charlottesville, hate crimes are public health issue, experts say
- Community Power
- Health Care Access and Quality
- Systemic Oppression
- General
- African American
As a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly on Saturday, doctors and public health leaders were among those watching events unfold on their television screens and social media.
Hate crimes directed at people based on their race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other characteristics are a public health issue, according to a policy statement from the American College of Physicians that was posted on its website Monday.
The American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians also have issued policy statements on hate crime as a public health concern.
The American Public Health Association has a site devoted to racism’s negative impact on public health and launched a national campaign against racism, including hate crimes.
