Hate Crime/ Hate Incidents can have a huge impact on your life and wellbeing. What has happened is not your fault and you're not alone. You can access specialist support, if and whenever you feel ready.
What is a Hate Crime/Hate Incident?
'Hate incidents' and 'hate crimes' are terms used to describe acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are or who someone thinks they are. They are motivated by hostility or prejudice based on disability, race, religion, identity, or sexual orientation. This can be an incident against a person or against property and includes materials posted online.
The Police and the Crown Prosecution Service take all hate crimes & incidents very seriously and would encourage you to report this to them.
Hate Incidents
Some examples of hate incidents include:
- verbal abuse such as name-calling and offensive jokes
- harassment
- bullying or intimidation by children, adults, neighbours or strangers
- physical attacks such as hitting, punching, pushing, spitting
- threats of violence
- hoax calls, abusive phone or text messages, hate mail
- online abuse, e.g. on Facebook/Twitter
- displaying or circulating discriminatory literature or posters
- harm or damage to things such as your home, pet, or vehicle
- graffiti
- arson
- throwing rubbish into a garden
- malicious complaints, for example over parking, smells or noise
Hate Crime
When hate incidents become criminal offences they are known as hate crimes. A criminal offence is something that breaks the law. Some examples of hate crimes include:
- assaults
- criminal damage
- harassment
- murder
- sexual assault
- theft
- fraud
- burglary
- hate mail
Further examples of specific hates crimes have been captured by the the True Vision Stop Homophobic, Transphobic, Racial, Religious & Disability Hate Crime agenda.