Hate Crime: What it is, what we stand for, and how we can support you
The terms ‘hate crime’, ‘non-crime hate incident’ and ‘hate speech’ have been used a lot in the news and on social media in recent months to describe local and national incidents hitting the headlines.
But what do they mean and what are the differences between them?
For National Hate Crime Awareness this week (11–18 October), we want to demystify hate crime, encourage its reporting, and ensure victims feel listened to and supported.
As Chief Constable Sarah Crew acknowledged in her statement on 24 September in response to racial and religious hate emerging in our communities:
“People are scared to go about their daily lives for fear of being attacked in the street. This is not acceptable. We will be robust and relentless in bringing to justice those who perpetrate crimes motivated by hate. Everyone expects and deserves to feel safe and secure where they live.” (Read the full statement here.)
What is a hate crime?
This is a criminal offence motivated by hostility and prejudice towards a person or group’s actual or perceived:
- Disability
- Race or ethnicity
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
- Transgender identity
These are known as protected characteristics – although some protected characteristics like age, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and sex are not covered by hate crime legislation.
Perpetrators of hate crimes can show contempt for one or more of these five categories in different ways. Whether their hate-fuelled actions are physical, verbal, involve property damage or occur online or offline, they all constitute a hate crime.
What is a non-crime hate incident?
This is when a crime has not been committed, but the incident is similarly perceived by the victim, the reporting person or others to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person or group’s disability, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity. Examples include:
- Offensive gestures and comments
- Micro-aggressions – subtle, sometimes indirect, discrimination against members of a marginalised group such as a racial or ethnic minority.
Non-crime hate incidents are different from hate crimes because they are not liable to prosecution. However, these actions and comments can still be reported. Your reports allow us to record and monitor patterns of behaviour that could escalate into a crime.
Is hate speech and online hate a crime?
For better or for worse, social media has changed the way we communicate. It has also become a tool for sharing disinformation and hateful content to a large audience quickly and easily.
Yet not all offensive content on the internet is illegal. Our laws in the UK are designed to have a high threshold so that people’s opinions and expressions of ideas are not criminalised under freedom of speech. In summary:
- For speech to be prosecuted as a hate crime, there must be a proven intention to incite hatred.
- When online material is perceived to be fuelled by hate but does not meet the threshold for a criminal offence, this is when it can be reported and recorded by police as a non-crime hate incident (explained above).
Is hate crime a real crime?
Yes. Here at Avon and Somerset Police, and across all UK police forces, we take hate crime very seriously. It’s not just about sticks and stones – hate crime can have a real, long-lasting impact, harming individuals and instilling fear and uncertainty into our communities.
Fear and intimidation have a detrimental effect on community cohesion, people’s behaviour, and how different groups perceive and treat each other.
Making people feel unsafe and unwelcome will never be acceptable and we won’t tolerate this kind of hatred in our communities.
In the words of our Chief Constable:
“We will act firmly against hate and violence, and we will protect the right to speak out lawfully and respectfully. But safety cannot be delivered by police alone. It is built together, through trust, respect and shared responsibility.
“So, I ask everyone: stand against hate, stand up for each other, and stand for the kind of society where everyone, without exception, can feel safe, secure and free.”
How do the police deal with hate crime?
We will not allow hate, in any form, destroy lives and livelihoods.
We are working hard to build trust and confidence in all our communities and, in the current climate, we want to make sure minoritised communities feel seen, listened to and supported. Our neighbourhood policing teams are vigilant, working proactively with partners (such as local councils, charities and community groups) to tackle offending and protect the public from harm.
By reporting to the police, you can:
- Stop it from getting worse
- Prevent it from happening to others
- Help us identify perpetrators and take appropriate action
- Help us identify ‘hotspot’ areas where hate crimes are occurring, so we can monitor the situation closely and allocate police resources to where they are needed most
- Help make your community a safer place for all.
Whether you’re a victim, a family member/friend of a victim or a witness, anybody can report a hate crime or a non-crime hate incident:
- Report to Avon and Somerset Police online
- Report via True Vision – a police-funded website dedicated to hate crime
- Visit your local enquiry office
- Call 101
- Always call 999 in an emergency, when a crime is taking place or somebody is in immediate danger.
Your report will be carefully reviewed, investigated and dealt with robustly if there is evidence of a hate crime. If it doesn’t quite meet the hate crime threshold, the detail you provide will still be recorded and used to keep track of incidents and behaviour that could escalate into a more serious offence.
Where can I access further support?
It is OK if you don’t feel comfortable reporting to the police directly and/or would like to speak to somebody about your experience in confidence.
Here are some organisations that can support you:
You can find a full list of organisations that provide support to victims here: Support for victims of hate crime | Avon and Somerset Police
And you can also be a source of support to your neighbours and loved ones at a time when they might be feeling particularly vulnerable. If they are disabled, belong to a particular race or religion, or identify as transgender – you can be their advocate, lend a listening ear, and find out what support is available on their behalf.