Hate crime

Hate crime is the term used to describe an incident or crime against someone based on a part of their identity.

Experiencing hate crime can feel very personal as it is targeting someone for being who they are or who someone perceives them to be.

There are five categories where a person can be targeted because of a hostility or prejudice towards their:

• Disability
• Race or ethnicity
• Religion or belief (including non-Belief)
• Sexual orientation
• Gender identity

Any incident perceived to be based on prejudice of any of these characteristics can be logged as a hate crime or hate incident.

Here at the Victim Care Service, we can also offer support to those targeted for crimes against alternative sub-cultures (such as Goth) as a form of hate crime.

Reporting a hate crime is entirely your choice. There are benefits of making the authorities aware of hate crimes so they can take appropriate action. Reporting a hate crime can help raise awareness of the issues in the community, help police and agencies focus resources, prevent further incidents and bring offenders to justice.

There are several ways you can report a hate incident or hate crime (anonymously should you wish):

In an emergency always call 999 or to report an incident to the police call 101

Visit www.report-it.org.uk to report online

Or via a Third Party Reporting Centre. You can find out more about third party reporting centres and where they are here

We are here to support you after hate crime; whether it was physical, verbal, online, criminal damage or targeted in other ways because of who you are or perceived to be; we have a range of support available. You do not need to have reported it to the police and it does not matter when the incident occurred.

Our service is completely free and confidential, and we will listen to how to the crime has affected you and work with you to plan our support. There are many ways our team can help including informing you of your rights and providing information on the criminal justice system.

The Victim Care Service acts as a Third Party Reporting Centre for hate crime across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We can help victims to report a hate crime or hate incident even if they do not want to speak with the police or take any further action against the perpetrator. This can be done anonymously should you wish. Reporting is always a choice but it can help the police and other organisations to create a picture of Hate Crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight without the need for victims to make an official complaint. For more details on third party reporting and where you can go to report you can visit here.

 

“I am hoping to raise awareness around hate crime for disadvantaged communities and encourage them in reporting. Some communities feel they are under-represented and that there are very limited services available; so promoting the work of the Victim Care Service is so important”.

Hate Crime Training and Engagement Co-Ordinator, Victim Care Service.