Hate Crime
How do you report a Hate Crime?
Telephone West Mercia Police on 101 for non-emergency and 999 in case of an emergency
Visit www.report-it.org.uk/your_police_force and report it online.
Email us with the details so that we can act appropriately on your behalf
Safe Places Shropshire does not tolerate Hate Crime of any type, neither should you!
You may have been the victim of a crime. If you believe the person’s behaviour was motivated by prejudice against you, this is a Hate Crime. You may have been targeted for the following reasons:
- your race, religion, or ethnicity (including nationality, national origin, ethnic origin, race and colour)
- because of your sexual orientation or your sex
- because you live with a disability
- because you have undergone gender reassignment
- because of your age
- because you are pregnant
- because you are married or are in a civil partnership.
A Hate Crime is any criminal offence that is motivated by hostility or prejudice based upon the above protected characteristics.
The victim may not belong to any of the above groups. If the perpetrator believes that they are or if the victim is associated with someone who does belong to a group that is targeted, this, too, is a Hate Crime.
Anyone can be a victim of a Hate Crime.
Disability Hate Crime is massively under-reported as many victims don’t know who to talk to or how to report it. On a national level, Hate Crimes are under reported; it is estimated that three in five incidents are not reported. West Mercia Police is committed to addressing this issue by giving victims of Hate Crime the confidence to come forward and report their experience.
Shropshire and Telford Police have Dedicated Hate Crime Officers. They are PC Rebecca McLean and PC Sanna Rahim.
Their email addresses are:
These may include:
- Physical attacks and threats of attack
- Damage to property
- Arson
- a threat of attack including offensive letters, abusive or obscene telephone calls
- groups hanging around to intimidate
- unfounded, malicious complaints.
- verbal abuse, insults or harassment
- taunting, offensive leaflets and posters
- abusive gestures
- dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes
- bullying at school or in the workplace
- anti-social behaviour and intimidation
Domestic abuse is not normally considered to be a hate crime, but it could be if it is motivated by a hostility. Even if it is not a hate crime, domestic abuse is wrong, and the police will support victims.
If you are disabled and live with a learning disability, mental health issues, physical disability, sensory impairment, a long-term health condition or multiple impairments, you have the right to be protected from domestic abuse in the same way as anyone else.
- You could experience it face to face (verbally or by gestures)
- via messages on social media
- via abuse online using the internet, cyber bullying or
- in any written format i.e. letters, texts using any type of graphic.
Hate Incidents are different to Hate Crimes
It is a Hate Crime if someone assaulted you and used homophobic language or threw a brick through your window and/or wrote racist graffiti on your house.
It’s still a hate crime if someone made a mistake about your identity. For example, if they attacked you because they thought you were Muslim, but you aren’t.
The penalty for a crime is more serious if it’s a hate crime.
What is a Hate Incident?
If you’ve experienced something that wasn’t a crime, but you think it was motivated by prejudice against you, it is a Hate Incident. For example, if someone shouted abuse at you from their car.
If you’ve experienced abuse and you think it’s because of your age or disability, for example, your local police might treat it as a Hate Incident.
If you experience more than one Hate Incident that is carried out by the same person or group of people, it might count as harassment. Harassment can be a crime. For example, it might be harassment if someone on your street keeps shouting abuse at you.
Hate Incidents can feel like crimes to those who suffer them, and they often escalate to crimes or tension in a community. The police are concerned about incidents, and they need to be reported for future reference should the situation escalate and become a crime. Also, it enables the police to work with partners to try and prevent this escalation. The police can only prosecute when the law is broken.
Have you or someone you know been a victim of a Hate Crime or Hate Incident?
It is important that if a Hate Crime happens to you or someone you know that you report it.
You can find out more about Hate Crime here via True Vision: https://www.report-it.org.uk/home
This link takes you directly to the Hate Crime page to make a report directly to the police: https://www.report-it.org.uk/your_police_force All reporting’s made on this page are sent directly to the Police Force in the area the crime took place.
If you feel you cannot report a Hate Crime/Incident yourself, then tell us and Safe Places Shropshire will do it for you.
Contact safeplaceschair@gmail.com or safeplacessecretary@gmail.com
Reporting any type of Hate Crime and Mate Crime makes a difference – to you, your friends, and your community. By reporting Hate Crime when it happens, you can help stop it happening to someone else. You will also help the police to better understand the level of Hate Crime in your local area, and to improve the way they respond to it.
Please note: If you feel the situation could become violent and/or someone is in immediate danger and you need support straight away, this is an emergency. You should call 999 otherwise help can be sought from the agencies below.
Deaf Community Emergency Register
You will only be able to use this service if you have registered with emergency SMS first.
Register now: don’t wait for an emergency.
To register, text ‘register’ to 999. Almost immediately you will get a reply – then follow the instructions you are sent. Don’t wait for an emergency to happen before you do this. Then you know you can text 999 in an emergency.
A video with information about the emergency SMS service in British Sign Language (BSL) can be found at this link Contact 999 using Relay UK – How to use Relay UK | Relay UK (bt.com)
Crimestoppers (Speak Up, Stay Safe)
Crimestoppers is a National Charity. They are 100% safe and anonymous at all times. If you have information about people who commit Hate Crimes or have witnessed a Hate Crime and do not want to talk to the police, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously. You do not have to give your name; you will never have to give a statement to the police or go to court.
Website: Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)
Telephone: 0800 555 111 (free to call)
Victim Support Gateway
Victim Support Gateway is a free and confidential support service available to anyone in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin or Worcestershire who has been affected by crime.
It has been designed to make sure that the needs of victims and witnesses are supported at every stage of their journey – whether they choose to report it to the police or not.
Victim Support Gateway means people will have a named point of contact to help with a range of services including:
- emotional support
- practical help
- help to navigate the criminal justice system
- support in dealing with services such as housing and insurance
- access to specialist support services
- personal safety advice and equipment
As well as offering emotional and practical support to people affected by crime, they run a number of specialist services in West Mercia including:
- Visual Evidence for Victims (VEV)
VEV is a free, confidential service. Partner agencies can take photographs of injuries or damaged property and store them securely. By keeping a record of incidents in this way, they help victims to keep the option of reporting a crime to the police in the future if they decide not to report straight away.
- Independent Victim Advocates
Caseworkers (Named Person) are people specially trained to work with the most vulnerable victims.
They will have an understanding that everyone’s experience of crime is different, they will agree a specially tailored support package for each person. This might include relevant advice booklets, contact numbers for counselling or other support services, help with insurance forms, guidance through the criminal justice process or talking about the benefits of Restorative Justice. Website link: https://www.cps.gov.uk/prosecution-guidance/out-court-resolutions#OCR07
Email VictimSupportGateway@victimsupport.org.uk Live Chat: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/help-and-support/get-help/support-near-you/live-chat/
Helpline
Telephone: 01905 726 896 This confidential phone line is open 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday.
Where to get support outside of the above hours. Call the 24/7 Supportline, use this number, it is free 08 08 16 89 111 or request support via the website.
Online chat
Online chat – this option, which can be found here https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/help-and-support/get-help/support-near-you/live-chat/ allows a person to talk to a messaging exchange with a Trained Supporter. They can listen to you, explain your rights and options, and talk to you about further support. It is not designed to give ongoing support.
Galop
Galop is a national charity providing advice and support to members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Website: Galop – the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity
Telephone: 0800 999 5428 (Open -Mon/Tue 9.15am-8pm, Wed/Thur/Fri 9.15am-4.30pm) Note: This phoneline is closed between 1pm and 2pm for lunch. or Email: help@galop.org.uk
Stonewall
Stonewall is a registered Charity that provides support to all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people. Website: Stonewall
Telephone: 020 7593 1850
Tell Mama
Tell Mama is a national project supporting victims of anti-Muslim hate and monitoring anti-Muslim incidents.
Website: Report in Anti-Muslim Hate or Islamophobia (tellmamauk.org)
Telephone 0800 856 1226 or SMS Text 0115 707 007 07 or Whats App 0734 184 6086.
Email info@tellmamauk.org
Whats App Chat 0734 184 6086 or use the
online form at this link: Contact Us – TELL MAMA (tellmamauk.org)
CST-(Community Security Trust)
CST-(Community Security Trust)-Protecting Our Jewish Community is a charity protecting British Jews from antisemitism and related threats. Anyone reporting an incident to CST, should note all personal information is handled in the strictest confidence.
Website: CST – Protecting Our Jewish Community
Telephone: National Emergency Number 0800 032 3263 (Open 24 hours).
Scope
Scope is a National Charity that helps people with disabilities to have the same opportunities as everyone else.
Website: Home | Disability charity Scope UK
Telephone: 0800 800 333
Email: help@scope.org.uk
Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm.
British Sign Language (BSL)
Connect to a British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreter at Scope using this link:
British Sign Language interpreters | Disability charity Scope UK
Stop Hate UK
Stop Hate UK is a leading national charitable organisation working to challenge all forms of hate crime and discrimination.
Website: stophateuk.org
Email: info@stophate.org
Telephone 0800 1381625 or call Relay UK: 18001 0800 1381625
or for Online chat Interpreter connect to Stop Hate UK BSL Interpreter system www.stophateuk.org/british-sign-language-video-on-what-is-hate-crime/
Friends, Families & Travellers
Friends, Families & Travellers is a registered charity working to end racism and discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people and to protect the right to pursue a nomadic way of life. They support individuals and families with the issues that matter most to them, at the same time as working to transform systems and institutions to address the root causes of inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people.
Website: Friends, Families and Travellers (gypsy-traveller.org)
Telephone: 01273 234 777 (Open: Monday-Friday 10am-4.30pm) excluding Bank holidays. or
Email: fft@gypsy-travellers.org
Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service
Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service is a local charity.
Website: Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service | (shropsdas.org.uk)
Telephone: 0300 303 1191 (open Monday-Friday 8am-6pm)
Email: sdas@shropsdas.org.uk
Text 61016
Text 61016: Help when travelling by train: By texting 61016 you can report any behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable or report if you witness an incident, such as:
• Touching/Groping
• Rubbing against someone
• Masturbation
• Someone exposing themselves
• Taking photos of a sexual nature without consent
• Sexual comments
• Leering
• Indecent act.
Email: first_contact@btp.police.uk
Telephone: 0800 40 50 40
Ask for Angela
Ask for Angela: Originally this was a scheme for women but it is now gender-neutral and used heavily in university areas. Anyone in a pub who is feeling unsafe can walk up to a pub staff member and ask for ‘Angela.’ This code word signals to the employee that this person needs to be discreetly separated from a dangerous or uncomfortable situation. Website: https://askforangela.co.uk/
Ask for ANI
Ask for ANI (Action Needed Immediately) codeword scheme. is a codeword scheme that enables victims of domestic abuse to discreetly ask for immediate help in participating pharmacies and Jobcentres.
Website: Ask for ANI – UK SAYS NO MORE From 4th November 2024, the Ask for ANI scheme will no longer be available in pharmacies.Ask for ANI was created to address the specific challenges faced by domestic abuse victims during the COVID-19 pandemic. With pandemic measures lifted, the scheme will conclude. However, Safe Spaces scheme will continue in over 6,000 Pharmacies, Banks and Building Societies across the UK.