Hate Crime
What is Hate Crime?
Hate Crime is any criminal offence motivated by prejudice and committed against a person or property. It is based on an offender's hatred of someone because of their:
- race or religion;
- sex or sexual orientation; or
- disability.
Hate Crime can take many forms including:
- physical attacks – such as physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti, neighbour disputes and arson;
- threat of attack – including offensive letters, abusive or obscene telephone calls, groups hanging around to intimidate and unfounded, malicious complaints; and
- verbal abuse or insults - offensive leaflets and posters, abusive gestures, dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes, and bullying at school or in the workplace.
What is the Government doing about Hate Crime?
The Government has recently increased protection from Hate Crime by:
- expanding the existing religiously-aggravated offences;
- expanding the existing incitement to racial hatred offences;
- increasing sentences for offences aggravated by a victim’s race and religion; and
- increasing sentences for assault motivated by hostility towards a person’s disability or sexual orientation.
What are we doing about Hate Crime?
Northumbria Police Authority and Northumbria Police are committed to combating all forms of Hate Crime.
Northumbria Police has joined a nationwide reporting scheme called True Vision to make it easier for people to report hate incidents including those motivated by racism. True Vision is used by most police forces in the UK and consists of an online reporting facility as well as Hate Crime reporting and information packs.
Each of Northumbria Police's six area commands has a Hate Crime Liaison Officer who monitors hate incidents and at least one Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Liaison Officer.
What can you do about Hate Crime?
Hate crimes need to be reported to the police for offenders to be punished.
If you feel that you, or anyone you know, have been a victim of Hate Crime, in Northumbria, you should report it to Northumbria Police immediately.
If you’re uncomfortable about going directly to the police, you can report Hate Crime anonymously through one of the following organisations, who will also be able to provide you with practical and emotional support:
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