Crimes committed against someone because of their disability, transgender-identity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation are hate crimes and should be reported to the police.

The formal definition of Hate Crime from The National Police Chief’s Council and the Crown Prosecution Service is:

 “any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s race or perceived race; religion or perceived religion sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; disability or perceived disability and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.”

Hate crimes can include:

• threatening behaviour
• assault
• robbery
• damage to property
• inciting others to commit hate crimes
• harassment

Reporting hate crime

In an emergency: dial 999 (if you’re reporting a crime that’s in progress or if someone is in immediate danger)

In a non-emergency: dial 101

You can report hate crime online, using True Vision

On public transport: call 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016

Anonymously: call CRIMESTOPPERS ON 0800 555 111

The CPS have further useful information here and there’s a really good downloadable guide for those affected by hate crime produced by the CST, Tell Mama, the CPS and the DCLG

Support organisations

If you’re the victim or witness of a crime, you can find out about further support here.

If you live in Scotland, you can get support here

While we would always recommend reporting any hate crime you witness or experience personally to the police, there are also some great organisations set up to support victims of specific hate crimes, which can also take your report, and which offer you the support you need at a difficult time. You can find a full list here, and below are some key contacts too.

Disability

It is particularly difficult for victims of hate crime based on their disability to report these crimes. This is in part due to the access and/or communication issues some disabled people face, but also due to lack of awareness about disability hate crime. However there are several organisations that help individuals to report hate crimes based on disability. Some of the largest include:

Mind

Scope

Age UK

There’s also a full index put together by Inclusion London

Race or Religion

CST – supporting Jewish victims

Tell MAMA – supporting Muslim victims

Sexual Orientation

The Stop LGBT Hate Crime Helpine is a 24/7 Telephone Helpline covering England, Wales and Scotland. They can be contacted by telephone on 0808 801 0661. There are several helplines and support services, including those run by Galop and StonewallGalop also support victims of transgender hate

Gypsy and Traveller

Traveller Movement

Friends Family and Travellers

Also see our guide to staying safe while working to tackle hate in communities and online