The harassment of Christians and Jews in societies around the world reached an eight-year high, according to a new study just released by Pew Research.
The study notes that some of this harassment was at the hands of terror groups such as the Nigerian-based Islamist group Boko Haram. In April 2014, the group kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in the largely Christian town of Chibok, located in Nigeria’s northern state of Borno. The kidnapping triggered a global social media campaign under the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, which was widely supported by celebrities worldwide.
Anti-Semitism is sharply rising. A recent survey of European Jewish Leaders and Opinion Formers polled 314 leaders in 32 countries, found that two-in-five Jewish leaders across Europe believe the rise in anti-Semitism represents a "major threat" to the future of their communities, according to a new report. They expressed particular concern over hatred against Jews on the internet.
According to Pew, social harassment of specific religious groups takes many forms, including physical assaults; kidnappings; desecration of holy sites; and discrimination against religious groups in employment, education and housing. Harassment and intimidation also include things such as verbal assaults on members of one religious group by other groups or individuals.
Overall, Christians, Muslims and Jews were harassed in the most countries according to an analysis of data for 2014, the most recent year for which information is published. The total number of countries where Christians were harassed by groups in society increased to 85, up from 74 countries 2007. The sharpest increase was seen in the harassment of Jews, which occurred in 80 countries, up from 46 in at the beginning of the eight-year study. Muslims were harassed in 81, compared with 64 in 2007.
The Pew study notes that "Some religious groups are more likely to be harassed by governments, while others are more likely to be harassed by individuals or groups in society (see table below). Jews, for example, were harassed by individuals or groups in society in many more countries (80) than they were by governments (31) in 2014. The number of countries with social harassment of Jews was up sharply from 2013. There was a big increase in the number of countries where Muslims were harassed by some level of government (80 countries in 2014, up from 73 in 2013). There also was a big increase in the number of countries where Christians were harassed by individuals or groups in society (85 countries in 2014, up from 71 in 2013)."
Anti-Semitism is sharply rising. A recent survey of European Jewish Leaders and Opinion Formers polled 314 leaders in 32 countries, found that two-in-five Jewish leaders across Europe believe the rise in anti-Semitism represents a "major threat" to the future of their communities, according to a new report. They expressed particular concern over hatred against Jews on the internet.
According to Pew, social harassment of specific religious groups takes many forms, including physical assaults; kidnappings; desecration of holy sites; and discrimination against religious groups in employment, education and housing. Harassment and intimidation also include things such as verbal assaults on members of one religious group by other groups or individuals.
Overall, Christians, Muslims and Jews were harassed in the most countries according to an analysis of data for 2014, the most recent year for which information is published. The total number of countries where Christians were harassed by groups in society increased to 85, up from 74 countries 2007. The sharpest increase was seen in the harassment of Jews, which occurred in 80 countries, up from 46 in at the beginning of the eight-year study. Muslims were harassed in 81, compared with 64 in 2007.
The Pew study notes that "Some religious groups are more likely to be harassed by governments, while others are more likely to be harassed by individuals or groups in society (see table below). Jews, for example, were harassed by individuals or groups in society in many more countries (80) than they were by governments (31) in 2014. The number of countries with social harassment of Jews was up sharply from 2013. There was a big increase in the number of countries where Muslims were harassed by some level of government (80 countries in 2014, up from 73 in 2013). There also was a big increase in the number of countries where Christians were harassed by individuals or groups in society (85 countries in 2014, up from 71 in 2013)."
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