It’s national Hate Crime Awareness Week, but what actually is a hate crime? Why is it important to report them? And what happens when hate incidents are reported?
Hate crimes are any crimes that are targeted at a person because of a perceived hostility or prejudice towards that person’s:
- Disability
- Race or ethnicity
- Religion or belief
- Sexual orientation
- Transgender identity
Hate crime can also be targeted due to an incorrect perception or assumption that the victim belongs to a protected group. They can be committed against a person or property. A victim does not have to be a member of the group at which the hate is targeted. In fact, anyone could be a victim of a hate crime.
What is a hate incident?
A hate incident is an incident that is targeted due to hate, or perceived to be targeted due to hate, but does not amount to a criminal offence.
Hate incidents can feel like crimes to those who suffer them, and often escalate to crimes or tension in a community.
For this reason, the police are concerned about hate incidents, and you can use the True Vision website to report non-crime hate incidents.
The police can only prosecute when the law is broken, but can work with partners to try and prevent any escalation in seriousness.
Why should I report hate crime?
Hate crimes and incidents hurt; they can be confusing and frightening.
By reporting them when they happen to you, you may be able to prevent these incidents from happening to someone else. You will also help the police understand the extent of hate crime in your local area so they can better respond to it.
You do not have to be the victim to report a hate crime, if you have witnessed a Hate Crime or Incident, then you can also report this.
At Yorkshire MESMAC we understand that there are a range of reasons why people may not be willing to report a Hate Crime and we will never pressure you into making a report.
What we will do is help you to access any services you need for support, talk to you about your options of reporting and we can even put in a report on your behalf.
You can find out contact details for your local Yorkshire MESMAC office here.
Reporting makes a difference – to you, your friends and your life.
How can I report hate crime?
There are several ways you can report a hate crime, whether you have been a victim, a witness, or you are reporting on behalf of someone else. Yorkshire MESMAC can support you with reporting:
1. In an emergency…
- Call 999
- If you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone. However, you will only be able to use this service if you have registered with emergencySMS first. See the emergencySMS website for details.
2. Contact the police…
- Who you can speak to in confidence. You do not have to give your personal details, but please be aware the investigation and ability to prosecute the offender(s) is severely limited if the police cannot contact you. Contact your local police force, either by telephone or by visiting your local police station. Details on how to contact your local police force can be found at www.police.uk.
3. Report online…
- You can report online using the True Vision website. Go to the ‘Reporting online’ page.
4. For anti-LGBTQ+ hate, use the Zoteria app…
- Download the Zoteria app to report anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes or incidents. You can report anonymously if you wish.
- The app also has the option to ask for support from LGBTQ+ charity Galop.
- To keep everyone safe, and to avoid members of the LGBTQ+ community from being outed, Zoteria “hides” behind a quotes app. It also has a secret mode and quick exit button.
5. Self-reporting form…
- You can download the self-reporting form and send this to your local police force. The forms, including an Easy Read version, can be found on the Report-It Website ‘Report a hate crime’ page.
6. Third party reporting centres…
- Local agencies such as Yorkshire MESMAC, the Citizens Advice Bureau, Community Voluntary Services etc can also report the incident on your behalf and provide you with advice and support.
- The ‘Organisations that can help’ page has a list of those organisations that may be able to help you.
7. Crimestoppers…
- If you do not want to talk to the police or fill in the reporting forms, you can still report a hate crime by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. Tell them what you know 100% anonymously. Always. Speak up. Stop crime. Stay safe.
