National Hate Crime Awareness Week is taking place between 14 – 21 October this year.
In partnership with Police Scotland and the Scottish Government, the Dumfries and Galloway Resettlement Project Team want to share with you some information and resources on hate crime. This will help you to understand what hate crime is, and to recognise it where you think yourself or someone else may be a victim of hate crime. It is important to have the facts you need to keep you and your loved ones safe, and to know where you can go if you need support. Read on for more information on hate crime.
What is Hate Crime?
Hate crime is the term used to describe behaviour which is both criminal and rooted in prejudice. This means that the law has been broken, and the offender’s actions were driven by hatred towards a particular group. Prejudice is not in itself criminal; rather it is a preconceived opinion or attitude towards a particular group.
In Scotland, the law currently recognises hate crime based on prejudice towards the following groups:
- disability
- race
- religion
- sexual orientation
- transgender identity
Hate crime can be verbal or physical and can take place anywhere – including online. Examples of hate crime include:
- threatening behaviour
- verbal abuse or insults including name-calling
- assaults
- robbery
- damage to property
- encouraging others to commit hate crimes
- harassment
- online abuse on sites like Facebook or Twitter
Reporting Hate Crime
Hate crime and prejudice have a harmful impact on individuals, communities and wider society and they are never acceptable. In Scottish communities it is important that everyone feels safe, and Police Scotland work hard to ensure their values of integrity, fairness, respect and upholding human rights are maintained.
Reporting hate crime is important. We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed a potential hate crime to report it to Police Scotland. You can do this in a number of ways:
- By phoning 999 if the situation is an immediate emergency
- By phoning 101 if the situation is not an immediate threat
- In person at any police station
- By completing a Hate Crime Reporting Form
- Text 999 (this is for registered users only)
- Contact Scotland-BSL
- Keep Safe Scotland App
You can also report hate crime through something called ‘third party reporting’. Not everyone feels comfortable or confident enough to report a hate crime to the Police, and might be more comfortable reporting it to someone you know. The Police work with a number of support organisations and groups across Scotland, which are designated ‘third party reporting centres’. Staff in these organisations will be able to report on your behalf if you let them know the details of the hate crime you are reporting. You can find a list of your local centres on Police Scotland’s website in the link below:
If you’d prefer to remain anonymous, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They are an independent charity that gives you the power to speak up and stop crime, 100% anonymously.
A Hate Crime Toolkit, outlining support available, how to report hate crime and the criminal justice system process has been launched today by Victim Support Scotland (VSS) and Police Scotland. Click below for the toolkit.