When does bullying become a hate crime?
Being bullied can be a frightening, upsetting and traumatic experience. Some forms of bullying that can be reported as a crime can be; violence or assault, theft, harassment or intimidation over a period of time and any incident involving hate crimes.
So when does bullying become a hate crime?
A hate crime is a term used to describe an incident or crime against a person based on a part of their identity. Being targeted and bullied for being who you are or who someone perceives you to be can feel very personal. There are five characteristics where a person can be targeted because of a hostility or a prejudice towards their:
- Disability
- Race or ethnicity
- Religion or belief
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity
Any incident of bullying perceived to be based upon any of these characteristics can be logged as a hate incident or crime.
Talk to a trusted adult; talking to a trusted adult about what has happened or is happening to you can help. A trusted adult is someone you feel comfortable going to with problems or when something bad has happened to you.
You can also get support from the Victim Care Service. If you have been affected by bullying or hate crime, there is support available through our friendly Children and Young People Team. Our experienced team can support and help you in a number of different ways. You can call them on 0808 178 1641 or email them at cyp.hiow@victimsupport.org.uk.
