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Hate crime
This information applies to England and Wales
What are hate incidents
Hate incidents are acts of violence or hostility against people because of who they are or who someone thinks they are. They can include verbal or physical abuse, including name calling, threatening behaviour or actual violence.
Examples of hate incidents include targeting someone because of their real or supposed:
- disability
- gender identity
- race
- religion
- sexual orientation.
What are hate crimes
When hate incidents become criminal offences, they are also known as hate crimes. Not every hate incident becomes a hate crime, but every hate crime is also a hate incident. So it is important to report all hate incidents to the police.
What can you do about a hate incident
The law says something is a hate incident if the victim or any other person thinks it is. So if you think you are experiencing a hate incident, or have experienced one, you can report it.
Even if a hate incident isn't directed at you, you can still report it to the police. You could be, for example, a passerby, a friend, a neighbour, a teacher, a colleague, a support worker or a police officer.
When you report a hate incident or crime, you should say if you think the incident is because of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion or sexual orientation or any combination of these factors.
The hate incident may also mean you have been discriminated against under the Equality Act 2010. To find out more about your rights, see Equality Act 2010 – discrimination and your rights.
Further information and advice
To find out more about what hate incidents are and ways to tackle them, you can:
Listen to our advice podcast, which gives spoken information on hate crime
Click on the button below and the podcast will play straight away and last about 3 minutes.
Read our leaflet
410 KB]Go the True Vision website where you can find further information and report the incident online to your local police force
www.report-it.org.uk
In Wales, you can find further information and report the incident online on the Safer Wales website at www.saferwales.com
Get help from your local citizens advice bureau
Citizens Advice Bureaux can help you with hate incidents.To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
