Chat with us, powered by LiveChat
Everyone should feel safe and welcome in their home and neighbourhood.
Sometimes, people say or do things that are hurtful or unfair to others because of who they are. This is called hate crime, and it’s never okay.

What is hate crime?

A hate crime is any act that is motivated by prejudice or dislike because of who someone is.

This means someone is being mean or hurtful because they don’t like something about you, or they have unfair ideas about:

  • Someone’s race, ethnicity or nationality (e.g. where you or your family are from)
  • Your religion or what you believe
  • Sex, gender identify, or who you love (sexual orientation)
  • If you have a disability or health condition
  • Your age, or other things that make you, you (personal characteristics)

Hate crime isn’t just about being physically hurt. It can also be words, actions, or messages that make someone feel scared or upset.

What does hate crime look like?

Hate crime can happen in lots of ways. Here are some examples:

  • Someone calls you names or says mean things because of who you are
  • You get threatening messages, notes, or phone calls
  • Someone damages your things or writes graffiti on your home
  • You are bullied, picked on, or made to feel left out
  • People follow you, stare at you, or try to scare you
  • You are harassed online or in person

 

How common is hate crime

Sadly hate crime is more common than many people realise.

Across England and Wales, over 100,000 hate crimes are recorded by police every year. However, research shows that many incidents are never reported. National crime surveys estimate that hundreds of thousands of hate-related incidents happen each year, meaning the true scale is likely much higher than official figures suggests.

Many people do not tell anyone because they are unsure whether it “counts”, or they worry nothing will change.

But you do not have to face it alone.

What to do if you have experienced a hate crime?

If you think you have experienced a hate crime or hate behaviour, you should report it.

Reporting Services

Contact the police (non-emergency or emergency)

  • Call 101 to report hate crime if your not in immediate danger
  • Call 999 if you, or someone else is in immediate danger

If you report hate crime to police, write down the incident number and the officer’s name. Please let us know these details and so we can work with police and support you.

  • Report online: You can report hate crime on the True Vision website. It is safe and confidential.

How we will support you

We take hate crime very seriously. In our Anti-social behaviour (ASB) policy, hate crime is a Category 1 Emergency. This means we will help you as quickly as possible.

If you report hate crime to us:

  • We will start helping you within one working day.
  • We will check if you are safe right away. If you are in danger, we will act straight away to protect you.
  • You will have a named person to help you. This person will talk to you, listen to what happened, and keep you updated.
  • We will work with the Police and other helpers to keep you safe.
  • We will offer you extra support, like help from Victim Support if you want it.
  • We will keep you updated about what is happening with your case

 

Where can I get more help and support?

You are not alone. There are people and organisations who want to help you: