Many Jewish people in Europe say that anti-Semitism is a growing problem, particularly on the Internet, causing many to consider emigrating because of fears for their safety, according to a new survey.
In the survey by the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), 66 percent said they thought that anti-Semitism was a problem, and 76 percent believed it has gotten worse in the last five years. The survey was taken in 2012 in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom, home to a combined 90 percent of Europe’s Jewish population.
Among the respondents, one in five experienced an anti-Semitic verbal insult and/or a physical assault in the year before the survey, and 29 percent considered emigrating because they feared for their safety.
The survey also detailed the role of the Internet as a projection platform. The BBC highlighted a British woman in her 50s who said she experienced more anti-Semitic comments on Facebook than she had in her entire life. “The speed at which hostile comments and misinformation can be passed around is frightening and leads to a sense of deep unease,” she said, “which may not connect with the day-to-day reality of being Jewish in a diverse society.”