Pew Forum Finds: Government Restrictions and Social Hostility on the Rise, also in Europe
A study of the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public revealed in September 2012:
-> That in 2010 there were 95 countries worldwide in which Christians suffered harassment by the government. This includes European countries. In 2007, it was 79 countries. Christians suffered social harrassment in 77 countries, compared to 74 countries in 2007.
-> Between mid-2006 and mid-2010, Christians were harrassed in 139 countries.
-> Five of the seven major religious groups monitored by the study – Jews, Christians, Buddhists, adherents of folk or traditional religions, and members of other world religions – experienced four-year highs in the number of countries in which they were harassed by national, provincial or local governments, or by individuals or groups in society.
-> Government restrictions on religions in general rose from 1,8 to 2,3 points (Pew Indicators) on average in European countries.
-> Social Hostilities involving religions in general rose from 1,7 to 2,1 on average in European countries.
-> Restrictions on religions in the most populated European countries (Germany, France, UK, Italy) rose significantly between 2007 and 2010 as you can see here: http://www.pewforum.org/Government/Rising-Tide-of-Restrictions-on-Religion-findings.aspx#groups
-> Restrictions on religions rose in 29 European countries and decreased in 14 between mid-2009 and mid-2010.
SOCIAL HOSTILITIES Index, European Countries in 2010:
(http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Issues/Government/RisingTide-SHI.pdf)
VERY HIGH:
· Russia (increased from 2009)
HIGH:
· United Kingdom (increased from 2009)
· France (increased from 2009)
· Germany (increased from 2009)
· Turkey
· Serbia
· Greece (increased from 2009)
· Romania (increased from 2009)
· Ukraine (increased from 2009)
· Cyprus (increased from 2009)
· Kosovo MODERATE: · Italy
· Macedonia (increased from 2009)
· Moldova (decreased from 2009)
· Switzerland
· Hungary (increased from 2009)
· Bosnia-Herzegovina
· Montenegro
· Sweden
· Croatia (increased from 2009)
· Belgium
· Bulgaria (decreased from 2009)
· Spain
· Denmark (decreased from 2009)
· Austria
· Norway
· Poland
· Netherlands
· Lithuania GOVERNMENT RESTRICTION Index, European Countries in 2010: (http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Issues/Government/RisingTide-GRI.pdf) HIGH: · Greece
· Turkey MODERATE: · Romania
· United Kingdom (increased from 2009)
· France (decreased from 2009)
· Germany (increased from 2009)
· Belgium
· Serbia
· Denmark
· Bulgaria
· Austria
· Iceland
· Macedonia
· Cyprus
· Spain (increased from 2009)
· Croatia
· Slovakia
· Italy
· Norway We thank the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public for their report! Source: http://www.pewforum.org/Government/Rising-Tide-of-Restrictions-on-Religion-findings.aspx Government Restrictions and Social Hostility Index by Region and in comparison of 2007, 2009 and 2010 can be found here in a detailed chart: http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Issues/Government/RisingTide-IndexbyRegion.pdf
· France (increased from 2009)
· Germany (increased from 2009)
· Turkey
· Serbia
· Greece (increased from 2009)
· Romania (increased from 2009)
· Ukraine (increased from 2009)
· Cyprus (increased from 2009)
· Kosovo MODERATE: · Italy
· Macedonia (increased from 2009)
· Moldova (decreased from 2009)
· Switzerland
· Hungary (increased from 2009)
· Bosnia-Herzegovina
· Montenegro
· Sweden
· Croatia (increased from 2009)
· Belgium
· Bulgaria (decreased from 2009)
· Spain
· Denmark (decreased from 2009)
· Austria
· Norway
· Poland
· Netherlands
· Lithuania GOVERNMENT RESTRICTION Index, European Countries in 2010: (http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Issues/Government/RisingTide-GRI.pdf) HIGH: · Greece
· Turkey MODERATE: · Romania
· United Kingdom (increased from 2009)
· France (decreased from 2009)
· Germany (increased from 2009)
· Belgium
· Serbia
· Denmark
· Bulgaria
· Austria
· Iceland
· Macedonia
· Cyprus
· Spain (increased from 2009)
· Croatia
· Slovakia
· Italy
· Norway We thank the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public for their report! Source: http://www.pewforum.org/Government/Rising-Tide-of-Restrictions-on-Religion-findings.aspx Government Restrictions and Social Hostility Index by Region and in comparison of 2007, 2009 and 2010 can be found here in a detailed chart: http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Issues/Government/RisingTide-IndexbyRegion.pdf