What is Hate Crime?

Hate Crimes happen because of hostility, prejudice or hatred of:

• Disability
• Gender identity
• Race, ethnicity or nationality
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation

What forms does Hate Crime take?

It includes things like name calling and verbal abuse, bullying and harassment, spitting and physical attacks, damage to property, graffiti, written notes, emails and text messages. In worst cases victims have been murdered just because of who they were.

What impact does Hate Crime have?

Being a victim of Hate Crime makes you feel isolated, scared or terrified because there is no escape; you cannot change or hide your identity. Homophobic Hate Crime

YouGov research has shown that one in five lesbian, gay and bisexual people have experienced homophobic Hate Crime or incident in the last three years. And three in four of those did not report them to the police.

Stonewall has produced a booklet called ‘Blow the Whistle on Gay Hate’ available on their website (http://www.stonewall.org.uk/), it gives people who are victims of homophobic Hate Crime clear and concise information.

What you can do?

You can report incidents to your Neighbourhood Officer, local Council, the Police or Victim Support.

Here is a list of useful numbers:

• In an emergency dial 999
• In Essex ring Essex Police on 0300 333 444
• Barking, Dagenham, Havering ring Stop Hate Crime UK 0800 138 1625
• Tower Hamlets ring the Council 0845 303 0900
• National Victim Support helpline 0845 30 30 900
• National Domestic Violence helpline 0808 2000 247
• Galop (LGBT) helpline 020 7704 2040
• Essex Gay Men: 01245 250256
• Stonewall 08000 50 20 20