Hate Crime
A crime that is committed against an individual because of who they are. No one should experience being attacked, threatened, abused or have their property damaged because of other person's hate.
What is Hate Crime?
Hate crime is any criminal offence committed against a individual because of hostility or prejudice towards their:
- Race
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
- Disability
- Transgender identity
- Characteristics that makes someone appear different
It can be committed against an individual, a group or a property.
Hate crime my be actual or perceived by an individual or someone else.
Anyone could be a victim of hate crime and the individual doesn't have to be a part of the group the hostility is targeted at.
How Hate Crime Might Look Like:
- Assaults
- Criminal damage
- Harassment
- Murder
- Sexual assault
- Theft
- Fraud
- Burglary
- Hate mail (Malicious Communications Act 1988)
- Causing harassment, alarm or distress (Public Order Act 1986)
These crimes can take place anywhere like at home, at work, or the street or online.
Anyone can be an abuser, strangers, neighbors or people you know well could target you.
If You Witness Hate Crime
- You should offer support for the victim whilst the incident/crime is taking place and only if you feel safe to do so. Let the victim know they are not alone.
- Console the victim after the event, show your understanding. Let them know that it is unacceptable and has no place in the community.
- Report crime to the police. If you witnessed a hate crime it is important to report the details, even if you do not feel comfortable to report it at the time.
How to Report Hate Crime
Not all hate incidents will amount to criminal offences, but it is equally important that these are reported and recorded. You can report:
- via West Yorkshire Police online form
- call 101 to report to police or 999 for emergency
- Text Relay 18001 101 (for deaf or speech impaired)
- via Bradford Hate Crime Alliance (BHCA) online form
- in person to BHCA at one of the reporting centres
It might sound scary reporting it to the police, but by doing this, you might help stop these incidents from happening to you again or someone else.
Video Resources
The following videos were made in partnership with People First Keighley & Craven and outline several scenarios that may involve hate crime.
Any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity.
Examples of hate incidents are:
- Verbal abuse like 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 for example on Facebook or Twitter
- Displaying or circulating discriminatory literature or posters
- Harm or damage to things such as your home, pet, vehicle
- Graffiti
- Arson
- Throwing rubbish into a garden
- Malicious complaints for example over parking, smells or noise
When the incident becomes a criminal offence, it is know as hate crime.
- Racist hate crime - you can be a victim of racist hate crime because of the color of your skin, but also because of what country you come from or what language you speak
- Homophobic hate crime - this mean a crime against someone because they are gay, lesbian or bisexual
- Religious hate crime - is attacking someone because of their religion or even for a lack of religious belief
- Sectarian hate crime - is where you can be attacked because of your community background or because of your political opinions
- Transgender hate crime - is a crime against someone whose gender identity is different from their birth sex
- Disability hate crime - is a crime against someone because of a physical or mental disability they have or appear to have
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Allows prosecutors to apply for an uplift in sentence for those convicted of a hate crime.
The Equality Act 2010
Provides protection from unlawful discrimination on the basis
of race, religion or belief, sex, disability, age, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity.
Advocacy Services can provide you with support, advice, advocacy and representation if you have been a victim or witnessed hate and discrimination because of your/their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity.
Seeking out advocacy help will provide you with safe space to voice your experience, advice you on your rights and how to defend them, explore options and help to access other services or support you may need, such as counselling or reporting to police.
Advocacy Services in Bradford District
Bradford Citizens Advice Bureau
Bradford Council is committed to raising awareness of hate crimes and to increase hate crime reporting across the District. The Council is working in partnership with Bradford Hate Crime Alliance, Victim Support, the Police and a range of community partners, to establish a robust framework to support the reporting and recording of all hate crimes.
To understand and effectively respond to hate crimes we need our local residents to feel confident to report all instances of hate crime even if they feel that these don’t warrant action by the Police.
Bradford currently has a number of hate crime reporting centres, which offer support to victims to report and record incidents using online reporting systems.
Online reporting provides individuals with an alternative to contacting the police, people are able to complete online reports anonymously or as a third party report.
Third party reporting is an opportunity for members of the public or individuals to report an incident where they may not have been the victim or directly involved in, but may have witnessed an incident or it may be reported to them.
Bradford Council is helping to raise awareness of Hate Crime so more victims are supported and greater numbers of offenders are brought to justice.
Crimes become Hate Crimes when victims believe they have been targeted because of their disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity.
There is no evidence to suggest Hate Crime is worse in Bradford than other parts of the UK.
It is widely believed that the majority of Hate Crimes are not reported so we have helped Bradford Hate Crime Alliance set up 23 independent Hate Crime Reporting Centres with specially trained staff, where you can report Hate Crime, but don’t have to give your details to the Police.